We are who we are
by YumenoJigen
Summary: Whether we fight it or accept it, we are who we are. But who are we exactly? What do we want? What must we do? What do we sacrifice? What do we gain? The answers will be in the roads we take between love and duty. That's what the Avatar, Katara, Sokka, Chenlian, Zuko, their friends, and their enemies will learn during their journey. OC insert in canon story (OCxZuko).
1. The time has come

**Author's note: Another story from my quizilla time. If you notice strong similarities with my GS story, that's because I created them at about the same time. **

**Naturally, all characters and settings taken from Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise belong to Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (and Gene Yang in the future) and other rightful owners. No, no, I'm not part of them, I swear! However, I do own the original characters and ideas you'll find. Those are mine. Story written for entertainment only. **

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**Fight ****01****: The time has come**

Between two icy cliffs, blocks of frozen water floating about around them, two teenagers were sitting in a canoe. Two years ago, the men from the Southern Water Tribe had left for the Earth Kingdom to help fight off the Fire Nation, leaving the young Katara - twelve-year-old at the time - and her older brother Sokka - thirteen-year-old at the time – the two oldest children, to look after the tribe. A hundred years ago, the Avatar, the only master of the four elements, water, earth, fire, and air, and whose role was to keep balance and peace in the world, had disappeared. Without him, it was impossible to stop the ruthless firebenders from attacking the Air Nomads where the new Avatar was to be reborn. And although the Fire Nation paid a high price for it, the airbenders were utterly wiped out. Then they attacked the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, and the Earth Kingdom. Of course, people resisted. But now, after a hundred years, the Fire Nation was close to victory, and many people had lost hope. They believed the cycle had been broken and the Avatar had never been reborn. But not Katara. She still believed that somehow, the Avatar would return to save the world... However, for now she and (especially) her brother were far from such lofty concerns...

Spear in hand, Sokka was facing the front while his younger sister Katara was facing the back of the small canoe. And between them was a basket to store the catch of the day. With their dark brown hair, tanned skin and blue eyes, they looked like normal water tribe people. They were dressed in white and blue clothes, warm enough to withstand the freezing temperatures of the South Pole.

"It's not getting away from me this time!" The boy said, focused on the fish he had just seen swimming past the canoe. "Watch and learn, Katara, this is how you catch a fish." He then glimpsed at his sibling superiorly. The girl stared dubiously for a time – there was nothing new in her brother's antifeminism – before both reported their attention back to the water. And she too noticed the shadow of a fish just below the surface. She hesitated, took a deep breath, removed the mitten from her left hand and moved her arm like a gently rolling wave. A bubble broke through the surface and rose in midair, with the fish swimming inside it.

"Sokka, look!" Katara exclaimed gleefully.

"Shh, Katara, you're gonna scare it away." Sokka scolded her in a whisper, without paying any attention. "Mmmmm I can already smell it cookin'!" He licked his lips, his mouth watering already.

"But Sokka! I caught one!" The girl strove to bring the water sphere above the canoe and the basket. However, due to her lack of control the globe floated closer to Sokka, who, too intent on his prey to see it coming, raised his spear and jabbed the bubble that burst, drenching him. And the fish fell back into the water.

"Hey!"

"Ugh! Why is it that every time you play with magic water **I** get soaked?" The boy asked, obviously exasperated, as he was wringing the cold water out of his short ponytail.

"It's **not** magic, it's **waterbending**." Retorted Katara, a little riled. "It's-"

"Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah blah blah... Look, I'm just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself." Sokka dismissed.

"You're calling **me** weird? I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water." His beloved younger sister shot back, smirking, her arms crossed, as Sokka was indeed making a muscle and looking at his reflection in the water. He turned to Katara, and gave her a dark look. When, all of a sudden, the boat was bumped. They looked up. A strong current had caught their small craft which was now heading at high speed to the end of the ice packed canal where huge clumps of ice were colliding and breaking apart. Sokka struggled frantically to manoeuvre the tiny boat between the icebergs and avoid being smashed. The boy was screaming, the girl was yelling directions. The canoe threaded its increasingly dangerous way between the blocks of frozen water... until at last three icebergs crashed against them at once, crushing the tiny boat. Both were safe though. They had hopped in time onto one of the floating chunk of ice. Alone in the middle of a field of drifting icebergs, they were now at the mercy of the currents. Katara blamed her brother for his poor navigation skills. To what he retorted that if she had any complaint, she should have just 'waterbended' them out of the ice before his male chauvinism kicked in again, saying that he should have left her home and that girls always screwed things up. Katara was now boiling with rage.

"You..." She stood up and pointed at him. "...are the most sexist, immature, nut-brained..." and as she was violently moving her arms, the water moved along, making their iceberg dip back and forth. "Ugh, I'm embarrassed to be related to you! Ever since mom died I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!" Cracks appeared in the iceberg towering behind her. But she paid no heed to the ominous sounds or her brother's fearful expression. "I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, NOT PLEASANT!" She shouted with rage.

"Katara! Settle down!" Sokka pleaded.

"No! That's it, I'm done helping you. From now on, you're on your own!" She exploded, detaching each syllable for a more powerful impact. And as she did the huge iceberg behind her split all the way and large chunks fell into the sea, waving their icy raft away. They held onto its edge until it settled down.

"Okay, you've gone from weird to freakish, Katara." Sokka declared.

"You mean **I** did that?" Katara asked, incredulous.

"Yup, congratulations." Her brother replied sarcastically but not meanly.

They were both leaning over the edge of the iceberg when suddenly, the water just in front of them began to glow an incandescent blue. They moved backward on their raft as another, lighter colored iceberg broke the surface. Its shape was strange, like a sort of frozen twirl had been encased in a block. As the new iceberg settled, Katara walked to the edge of their raft to get a better look. Deep in the ice, the figure of a boy in a meditation pose could be seen. He had white arrows on his fists and on his bald head. Suddenly, the boy in the iceberg opened white glowing eyes and his arrow markings glowed the same white.

"He's alive! We have to help!" The girl snatched her brother's club, pulled down her hood and ran over to the boy.

"Katara, get back here! We don't know what that thing is!" Sokka yelled warningly. She ignored him and skipped across a few little icebergs to arrive at the one in which the boy was trapped. Her sibling followed after her. With the club, she started to strike the ice. After a few big hits, the ice cracked open. Wind gusted from the crack, as if the iceberg had a hollow chamber within it. And from that crack, the iceberg then split from bottom to top and burst open. A huge beam of white blue light and energy shot straight to the far sky. An aurora australis started swirling around the shaft of energy. Further away, tiger seals reared and roared at the phenomenon.

At a two-day distance, an iron hulled, coal-fired battleship with a spiked prow was cutting through the sea. And on the foredeck stood a young man dressed in red, also shaven-headed except for a black pony-tail, staring intently, with wide and seething amber eyes at the beam of light ahead of the ship. He was quite handsome, despite the left side of his face being badly burnt and scarred around his left eye. His eyes narrowed.

"Finally. Uncle, do you realize what this means?" He turned to a portly old man seated cross legged at a low table, drinking tea and playing a game.

"I won't get to finish my game?" The old man inquired wisely.

"It means my search... it's about to come to an end." The young man looked back toward the light. His uncle groaned. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!"

"Or it's just the celestial lights. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?" The elderly suggested, trying to gently reason his hot-tempered nephew.

"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar! Helmsman, head a course for the light!" Zuko burst out.

While far away, at the same time, at the heart of the Fire Nation, two amber eyes opened in the chamber of a deep underground prison. In the darkness, they glowed with a golden fire.

"The time has come."

**"The time has come."**

Red markings began to appear on the young girl's body. Her long mahogany red hair was framing a beautiful face with a fair complexion, and her well proportioned body was tightly bound by chains and shackled by her neck, wrists, and ankles to five poles.

"He has awakened. We have awakened. The time has come for us to be rid of those shackles and leave those foolish men who sought to control us. Now let us go. Let us help him restore balance; else both our worlds are destroyed. Let us leave with stealth. We have no time to lose with the inane and the ignorant that would impede us or that person."

**"He has awakened. We have awakened. The time has come for us to be rid of those shackles and leave those foolish men who sought to control us. Now let us go. Let us help him restore balance; else both our worlds are destroyed. Let us leave with stealth. We have no time to lose with the inane and the ignorant that would impede us or that person."**

With extraordinarily precise control of her firebending, she focused all of her power into scalpel-like blades of intense heat, cutting her shackles as if they were being cut by a sword.

"Yes, to that place where He will be sure to come in order to receive help and counsel from his previous self. At that moment, we shall be there too."

**"Yes, to that place where He will be sure to come in order to receive help and counsel from his previous self. At that moment, we shall be there too."**

"Now let us go, Guang."

**"Now let us go, Chenlian."**

She finished cutting her shackles. The chains fell with a heavy clang on the stone pentagon at the centre of which she stood. She walked down two steps to the second and larger pentagonal platform and two more steps down to the stone floor. She walked to the double iron doors. She melted the thick metal. No one was there. It had been over two years already since they had been forced her into that half comatose state with that potion whose smell was enough to make her unable to move and think. But with time they had decreased the frequency more and more, since they saw no sign of the effects wearing off... But the effects DID wear off... and then she had grown accustomed to it and it ceased having any effect.

Certainly no one thought _they_ would wake up now. That Lord and his men were certainly foolish. Now _they_ were awake. And everything was going as planned. First take all the supplies she would need, including getting back her prized dragon straight sword, her twin daggers, and her precious lotus hairpin as well as her white lotus pai sho tile. Those were gifts from her masters; there was no way she would let them rot here... And then, straight to Crescent Island! At leisure...!

At the base of the exploded iceberg, Sokka was shielding his sister from the dissipating blast and whatever was to come after that. The teenagers looked up to see residual blue light still swirling around the top of what was left of the iceberg. Suddenly, the boy appeared; his eyes and arrow markings still glowing. Sokka yelled at him to stop, menacingly raising his spear. The child stood up, the glow and residual energy faded away. He seemed to pass out and slid down the side of the ruined iceberg to Sokka and Katara who lunged forward and caught him as he fell. The blue-eyed 'warrior' poked the boy's head with the blunt side of his weapon. The waterbender gave her brother a look and told him to stop it, pushing the spear away. She gently shifted the stranger so he lay on his mysterious boy groggily opened his eyes to see Katara's beautiful face staring worriedly at him with her deep blue eyes. The wind softly blew her braids. In a weak voice, he asked her to come closer. And then he quickly became fully awake, cheerfully asking the girl if she wanted to go penguin sledding with him, to what she agreed after a few seconds pause. She could not help but be caught up in his pace. The child, in yellow and orange monk clothes, used the air to stand upright, making Sokka scream and be on the defensive again. Obviously confused, the boy wondered what was going on here.

"**You** tell us! How'd you get in the ice?!" Sokka poked the strange kid again with his spear. "And why aren't you frozen?"

"I'm not sure." The young one absentmindedly pushed the weapon away. Then they heard the low grunt of an animal. He frantically climbed back up the ruined iceberg and jumped over the lip of what was now a crater and landed on a huge furry creature.

"Appa! Are you all right? Wake up, buddy." He leant down and opened one of the beast's eyes. It closed again. The boy hopped down and vainly tried to lift the animal's huge head. The siblings came around the corner and their mouths dropped in shock as they saw the monster with six legs and horns like a steer, whose mouth opened to lick the child trying to wake him up. He rejoiced, glad that his furry friend was alright. Sokka asked what 'that thing' was. The young monk introduced it as Appa, his flying bison, to what the armed tribesman replied with his usual sarcasm by introducing Katara as his 'flying sister'. Appa began to sneeze, the boy ducked in time resulting in Sokka being covered in bison snot. Disgusted, he rolled in the ice and snow, trying to get it off. The bald youngster then asked where they lived. And once again, Sokka was on the defensive, sure he was a spy from the Fire Nation. Katara rolled her eyes at her brother's paranoia and shooed him and questioned the childish monk about his own name. The boy sneezed too, sending himself high into the air, and slowly drifted back down again, unharmed. He introduced himself as Aang. The girl gasped, realizing that Aang was an airbender. Thinking something was wrong with himself, Sokka tried to leave, but he was in the middle of the sea. The little monk offered them a ride, to which Katara happily agreed. And after a time, so did her brother, reluctantly. He did not have much of a choice anyway.

And on the bison's saddle, the siblings' expressions were still at odds. The brother was grumpy and clearly doubted the animal's ability to fly while his sister looked rather excited. Aang was sitting on the beast's head, holding on to the reins attached to its horns.

"Okay. First time flyers, hold on tight! Appa, yip yip!" Aang shook the reigns and Appa made a low rumble. The cute monster flapped its huge beaver tail and launched into the air. It spread its six legs wide, but then came right back down into the water with a huge splash and began to swim forward. Sokka cracked another comment. The bald boy replied that Appa was just tired and needed his rest before he could soar through the sky again. And as he made the flying motion with his hand, his eyes finally rested on Katara where he left them. A silly smile appeared on his youthful face as he looked at her.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" The blue-eyed girl asked cluelessly.

"Oh... I was smiling?"

Sokka made a disgusted sound.

On the Fire Navy Ship, on the spotting deck off the bridge looking forward, Prince Zuko was standing, gazing straight ahead into the falling night where he was approached by Iroh.

"I'm going to bed now." The old man yawned exaggeratingly. "Yep. A man needs his rest. Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you're right and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him. Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all tried and failed." He tried to reason again.

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does. This coward's hundred years in hiding are over."

Chenlian landed in a grassland somewhere on the north coast of the Fire Nation's inner sea and fell on her knees, panting, shaking and sweating. She felt like her muscles were made of cotton. She had pushed herself but she was at her limit. Such a long period of inactivity had really taken its toll. Her muscles had atrophied, she had lost weight and she was low on energy and barely had any strength. To be honest, she did not have the body for the travel she was going to undertake. But she wanted to get away as far and fast as possible... which was why she afforded only a few short breaks and kept flying. Only her strong will and her 'partner' were keeping that weakened body going. She collapsed on the ground and fell asleep right where she was, but only for a little time. She rummaged through her bag and ate some leftovers she had put in a box. After escaping, she had gone to her mother's younger sister's house to take money as well as food, a few useful items and some of her own belongings. Things that reminded her of those happy times. Keepsakes whose sentimental value far exceeded the pretty penny they were worth but that she was ready to give away if necessary. She** had** considered stealing from that foolish Lord. Ever since those two had left on that 'fool's errand' there were only people she hated in that palace. That would have been pay back –at least in part– for everything he had done to her. That would have been justice. But Chenlian did not want herself to sink that low because of** him** and those who blindingly obeyed him_. _She wanted to remain true to herself. That was how she had been raised. She had had an upright upbringing, and had always been taught to be honest and honourable at all times. They had pounded into her that she should always behave exemplarily. It was certainly because she knew her own worth by achieving that that she was so proud. Although some could say that she was arrogant and self-righteous.

Even though after that day years ago when everything changed it had become increasingly difficult, she still strived to live up to her family's teachings. She could not ask her friends either and did not have much anyway as they were all scared of the royal family. Nor did she want to trouble her aunt and uncle any more than necessary. But she still left a letter to reassure them. She was alive and well but they should not search for her, promising that somehow, someday, everything will be alright, and she will return to them after having restored everything to the way they should be. And then she will repay them. Knowing them, they certainly cried, glad and relieved she was alright, and yet dreaded what was going to happen to their beloved niece.

Then Chenlian quickly made a few traps for fish and rabbits (or any animal that would have the kindness to get caught) using strings and food scraps she had brought while she went to look for wild berries or other edible tubers and herbs before gathering logs washed of by the sea and bent a little fire. Then she did soft rehabilitation exercises to stretch and strengthen her atrophied muscles. She had no time to lose. She had to regain her best condition as soon as possible. Once she had finished, she did a little meditation, covered herself with her blanket using her bag as a pillow and fell asleep.

Katara, who was in the saddle on Appa's back with her brother, crawled forward and looked down at Aang who was lying on his back at the top of the beast's head.

"Hey."

"Hey. Whatcha thinkin' about?" The boy asked.

"I guess I was wondering your being an airbender and all if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar."

At this, Aang looked quite disconcerted.

"Uhh... no. I didn't know him... I mean, I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry."

"Okay. Just curious. Goodnight."

"Sleep tight."

Katara turned back and Aang looked away an expression of fear and guilt on his face. And Appa kept swimming to the Southern Water Tribe village.


	2. Prisoner

**Author's note: about Chenlian's name, it's written with the characters for 'morning' and 'lotus'. I also want to mention that 'chen', written with a ****different character, can also stand for the sign of the dragon. Just thought it was interesting.**

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**Fight****02: Prisoner**

Aang woke up after a nightmare about a storm where, on the verge of drowning, his eyes and arrow markings had glowed; he had put his fists together, and frozen himself and Appa in a huge ball of ice. It was Katara who had woken him up. He was in a tent in the village. The girl barely let him enough time to dress that she dragged him outside with his staff. She introduced the boy to the entire village, now consisting of only women of all ages and children... and a dog or two. They could be twenty at most. Aang greeted them politely but some villagers still backed away from him. The elder explained that it was because they had not seen an airbender in a hundred years and thought they were extinct.

"'Extinct'?" Aang repeated, clueless. Katara introduced the older woman as her grandmother, called Gran Gran. Sokka snatched the boy's staff, thinking it was a weapon that couldn't stab anything. Aang airbended it back to his hand and said it was for airbending. He opened it into an orange-winged glider, and before the children, amazed at the 'magic trick', explained that it was not magic, but airbending. It let him control the air currents around his glider and fly. As a demonstration he launched himself into the air with his glider and soared through the air, doing loops as the villagers on the ground pointed at him in wonder and voiced their amazement. Aang looked down at Katara who smiled at him, rendering him so enthralled that he slammed right into Sokka's guard tower with a 'oof'. He pulled his head out of the tower and fell to the ground with his glider. The girl helped Aang back to his feet. He twirled his glider shut as Sokka examined the damaged tower behind him, Sokka who was soon buried by a huge bank of snow.

"Great. You're an airbender, Katara's a waterbender... together you can just waste time all day long." The water tribesman snapped, getting up angrily.

"You're a waterbender!" The tattooed boy exclaimed, ecstatic.

"Well... sort of. Not yet." She stammered. It was then that Gran Gran led her granddaughter away, saying she had chores. The young female elatedly told her relative that she knew he was the real thing and she had at last found a bender to teach her. But the elderly warned her not to put all her hopes in that boy. However, Katara was too happy to listen.

"But he's special! I can tell. I sense he's filled with much wisdom." She looked at Aang who was fooling around with the children. He had his tongue frozen to his staff.

After waking up Chenlian did some stretching and strengthening exercises again, checked her traps and took the few animals she had caught. After rekindling the fire, she cooked them with the tubers and herbs, ate, saved the rest in her box departed on foot, alternating her pace with slow walk, fast walk, and running, and then took flight again with firebending.

On the Fire Nation Ship, Zuko was training under the rigorous supervision of his uncle. The prince blasted fire from his hands at the guards, but missed. Then the guards attacked him with blasts of fire from their fists, but Zuko dodged and back flipped over the guards to land behind them. Iroh stood up and sighed.

"No! Power in fire bending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes fire." The old man explained in a strict tone while doing a demonstration and releasing a controlled plume of flames that stopped right before his nephew's face. "Get it right this time."

"Enough! I've been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready." The prince ordered, marching up to his uncle.

"No, you are impatient. You have yet to master your basics." Then the old man sat back down, his arms apart in an imposing posture, his hands on his knees, and he added more forcefully: "Drill it again!"

The prince growled and blasted one of the guards backward with fire shot from his left foot. Both men were frowning deeply.

"The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now. He's had a century to master the four elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You WILL teach me the advanced set!"

Iroh sighed and gave in.

"Very well. But first I must finish my roast duck." He took his bowl and chopsticks and began eating with delight before the anguished expression of his nephew, appalled at just how laid back his uncle was.

This afternoon at the water tribe village, Sokka was pacing back and forth, his arms behind his back. It was clearly an important speech for an important training session.

"Now men, it's important that you show no fear when you face a firebender. In the Water Tribe, we fight to the last man standing. For without courage, how can we call ourselves men?" He gravely told the six toddlers before him. One of them raised his hand.

"I gotta pee."

"Listen! Until your fathers return from the war, they're counting on you to be the men of this tribe. And that means no potty breaks."

"But I really gotta go."

"Okay... who else has to go?" Sokka sighed resignedly. All six raised their hands. The teen warrior slapped his forehead in disgust as all six left.

Katara came in, searching for Aang who emerged pointedly from a small igloo type bathroom stall. He adjusted his pants and smiled at the little boys coming to use the toilet and commented that "Everything freezes in there!" thus making the toddlers laugh. Sokka complained and told his sister to get him out of here. This lesson was for warriors only. Suddenly, they heard a cry of joy and turned their heads. Aang on his back, Appa had his tail propped up using a makeshift sawhorse. And the kids were using his back and tail as a slide to land in a pile of snow. The children, and soon Katara, all started laughing.

"Stop! Stop it right now!" Sokka shouted at the children as he ran to them and took a spear that had been utilised in the sawhorse. "What's wrong with you?" He asked Aang. "We don't have time for fun and games with a war going on!"

"What war?" The airbender hopped down off Appa. "What are you talking about?"

"You're kidding, right?" The teen with the ponytail raised an eyebrow at him. Aang's gaze shifted slightly off Sokka to look at something beyond him.

"PENGUIN!" He yelled. The otter-penguin, aware that it had been spotted, made a surprised noise and turned to waddle away. Aang used his airbending skill to run at unbelievable speed toward the horizon where the penguin had just been.

"He's kidding, right?" The boy asked his sister, raising his eyebrow again. But from the waterbender's face, she knew no more than he did.

Katara followed Aang to an otter-penguin colony not far where the aquatic flightless birds were waddling and squawking around. She was looking for the child when she saw him chasing after the animals, falling face first in the snow, catching one at last before being dragged away by it instead... The airbender also did an imitation of them waddling and squawking to amuse the cute blue-eyed girl. Then Katara offered to teach him how to catch an otter-penguin if he would teach her waterbending. He agreed, but warned her that he was an airbender, not a waterbender, and asked if there was not anyone in the tribe who could teach her, and the girl told him sadly that she was the only waterbender in the whole South Pole. When Aang talked about the North Pole, Katara said they had had no contact with their sister tribe in a long time as it was on the other side of the world. Aang wanted to fly her to the Northern Water Tribe with Appa to help her search for a waterbending master, but she had never left home before and was still hesitating.

"Well, you think about it. But in the meantime, can you teach me to catch one of these penguins?"

"Okay, listen closely my young pupil. Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art. Observe." Katara instructed in a tone mocking the great teaching masters. She produced a little fish from her coat and tossed it at Aang who instantly got surrounded by a horde of hungry penguins.

Up until late afternoon, Katara and Aang rocketed off the ice bank and through the frozen landscape, each sitting atop a penguin, laughing and whooping happily. They emerged from tunnels and got off their mounts, which stood up and dizzily wandered away making little chirping noises. The two benders walked forward, looking at something in front of them. Aang made an amazed sound. It was a huge and derelict Fire Navy ship locked in the ice and silhouetted by the sun behind it. It looked really ominous, and was a very bad memory for the Southern Water Tribe. The boy walked toward it. Katara tried to warn him that it could be booby-trapped and they were not allowed to go near it.

"If you wanna be a bender, you have to let go of fear." Her friend replied. Reluctant and uncertain, she nonetheless followed him in.

Aang and Katara climbed up and entered the ship through a gaping hole in one of forward compartments below the water line. They walked around the dark corridors inside past many a darkened room. They stopped to look at the weapons stored in the armory. This ship, as part of the Fire Nation's first attacks, had haunted the Southern Water Tribe since Gran Gran was a little girl.

"Okay, back up. I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation. I've never seen any war." The boy contradicted her. It sounded like he did not want to believe. Then she asked him how long he thought he had been trapped in the ice. The monk believed it had just been a few days but to Katara's opinion, it was more like a hundred years!

"What? That's impossible. Do I look like a hundred-twelve year old man to you?" He raised an eyebrow at her, slightly offended.

"Think about it. The war is a century old. You don't know about it because, somehow, you were in there that whole time. It's the only explanation."

Aang puts his hand to his head and staggered backward. Stunned and horrified by this realization. He sank to the floor.

"A hundred years! I can't believe it."

"I'm sorry, Aang. Maybe somehow there's a bright side to all this." The waterbender knelt at his side and put a comforting hand on his back.

"I did get to meet you." Aang said with a smile. Katara could not help but smile back.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." She said, helping him up, and they started walking again. The airbender entered another room on the ship. The brown-haired girl wanted to head back as this place was creepy. Just as the bald child was going to answer, his foot dragged a trip wire on the floor. Behind them a grate dropped from the ceiling and blocked the door. They grabbed it just after it fell shut. They were trapped.

"What's that you said about booby traps?" Aang asked.

Around them, the machinery in the room started to operate. Gauges were spinning madly, wheels began to turn and steam to pour out of some of the equipment. Suddenly, a bright flare explodes out of the Fire Navy ship and into the sky, leaving a trail of smoke behind it. Aang and Katara saw it out the window of the ship's bridge.

"Uh oh."

The flare rose and reached its zenith where it exploded in a small shower of sparks. The boy noticed a hole in the ceiling and told his female friend to hold on tight as he picked her up in his arms. She cried out in surprise, and he launched them both through the hole in the ceiling. He landed with her in his arms on top of the bridge. However, this had not escaped Prince Zuko's attention who, through the lens of a telescope, followed the flare down for a few moments, before shifting downwards to show the airbender hopping down the ship and the ice which encases it to the ground below, with a girl in his arms.

"The last airbender. Quite agile for his old age. Wake my uncle! Tell him I found the Avatar..." The prince ordered before looking back into his telescope to see the two running across the ice away from the ship. He then scanned left quickly, and pulled it back right to focus on a village. "...as well as his hiding place..." And Zuko's right eye narrowed in determination.

It was nearly sunset. The villagers had also seen the flare. Then Aang and Katara approached. Everyone was waiting for them at the entrance of the village. The children were glad to see Aang back but not the adults. Sokka came forward angrily. He pointed at him and accused him of having set off that flare to lead the Fire Navy straight to them. The two tried to explain that it was just an accident, that they had fallen into a booby trap. Gran Gran blamed her granddaughter for having known and still gone. Now they were all in danger. The airbender tried to defend her saying it was his fault, not hers.

"Aha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy!" Sokka ordered. The children stepped back toward their mothers. "The foreigner is banned from our village!"

This time, it was Katara's turn to try and defend Aang and convince her brother that he was making a mistake, that Aang was not their enemy, and that he had brought them something they hadn't had in a long time: fun. To what Sokka replied that they could not fight firebenders with fun.

"You should try it sometime." Aang suggested with a smile.

"Get out of our village. Now!" The teen warrior shouted. His younger sister implored her grandmother not to let Sokka do this. But their grandmother agreed with him as the girl knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka was right. It was best if the airbender left.

"Then I'm banished too!" Katara yelled bitterly. She took her friend by the shoulder and began to leave. Appa ready to fly off before them, her brother and tribe behind them, and she and Aang in the middle, with the sun setting over the sea.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Sokka cried at her.

"To find a waterbender! Aang is taking me to the North Pole!"

"I am? Great!" The tattooed boy exclaimed, confused at first, before brightening.

"Katara!"

The girl stopped.

"Would you really choose him over your tribe? Your own family?" Her brother pleaded. She paused, doubt and indecision on her pretty face. Aang came up next to her.

"Katara, I don't want to come between you and your family." He said sincerely before walking toward Appa.

"So, you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?" She asked softly. She did not want him to leave. The monk thanked her for penguin sledding with him. "Where will you go?" Katara asked, concerned. Aang put a hand on Appa.

"Guess I'll go back home and look for the airbenders." He paused and thought. "Wow, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years. Not looking forward to that." He attempted to joke. But he was just as sad as she was to be separated and leave like this. He airbended himself onto Appa's head where he took the reigns and turned to address the village_._

"It was nice meeting everyone."

"Let's see your bison fly now, air boy." Sokka commented in a sarcastic and biting tone, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Come on, Appa, you can do it! Yip! Yip!" The airbender encouraged his furry friend. Appa rumbled and got onto his feet.

"Yeah, I thought so."

Just then a little girl with pig tails rushes forward with a cry to stand by Katara.

"Aang! Don't go! We'll miss you!" The little one begged, her eyes shining with tears.

"I'll miss you too." Aang replied sadly. He turned to look at Katara, whose braids were blowing in the breeze. The boy turned away and shook the reigns once more and Appa walked off at last. The little crying girl walked back to the village while Gran Gran came up behind Katara.

"Katara, you'll feel better after you-"

"You happy now? There goes my one chance of becoming a waterbender!" Her granddaughter cut her off, furious and tearful. She too stalked off angrily, leaving Gran Gran alone. Sokka commanded the little ones to ready the defences and forbid any potty break.

In the frozen wasteland outside the village Appa and Aang were resting in the curves of some ice formations shaped like doughnut holes. The beast was laying on his back in the lower one while its owner and friend was in the smaller higher one. Appa rumbled.

"Yeah, I liked her too." The boy sighed dismally. It was obvious who he had been thinking about. He looked out toward the sea of mist and got up with a start. He had seen a Fire Navy ship, and it was steaming toward the village! He slid down his perch and told Appa to wait here. Appa rumbled in reply and shifted his position slightly.

In his tent, Sokka was silently putting on his war garb and face paint. In the ship, Prince Zuko was also getting ready for battle as attendants helped him into his armor. Sokka left his tent with his weapons, and climbed atop the ice wall surrounding the village where he stood alone, scanning the mist for any sign of the enemy. Suddenly, a deep rumbling noise was heard and the ground began to shake. Parts of the wall on which he was standing started to crumble. The villagers looked around in alarm. The guard tower collapsed in a heap of snow and ice.

"Oh man!" Sokka exclaimed, disappointed. A panic broke out in the village as people began to run everywhere. Katara was in their midst but stopped after seeing something in the mist. Suddenly, there, just in front of her brother, a massive shadow emerged from the fog, dwarfing Sokka. It was the bow of Prince Zuko's ship.

"Ohhh, man!" Sokka's voice quivered fearfully.

The vessel was cutting its way through the ice to the city wall itself. As the ship continued to ice break towards the wall, Katara put Gran Gran into one of the tents in the rear and then took a little child out of harm's way as the ice floor of the village was starting to crack all over the place under the stress. After she had put the child in a tent, she turned to look back at her brother who was poised both tragically and comically to the ship's hull with his weapon. She yelled at him to get out of the way. As the ship reached the wall, the ice collapsed into a heap of snow which tumbled back into the village, carrying Sokka with it. The vessel came to a halt. Steam wafted up from where the bow had split the ice. The villagers, Katara in front, emerged from their shelters and stared in trepidation and amazement at the ship. The waterbender and her warrior brother drew a deep breath in anticipation. With a noise of metal on metal the bowsprit of the ship pivoted and its tip landed onto the village's floor, becoming a huge gangplank. Sokka fell backward to avoid being crushed. The steam cleared from the top of the bowsprit, revealing Zuko and a host of Fire Nation soldiers. The armoured prince walked down the gangplank stairs, followed by guards. Sokka, who stood up and charged at Zuko with an adolescent war cry. He ran up to the Prince, who casually and expertly kicked his weapon out of his hand and then kicked him in the face, sending him sprawling on the ice at his right. His head stuck in the snow and he struggled comically to free himself. The villagers drew back in fright at the ease with which their only warrior had been dispatched by the invaders. Zuko walked forward and looked over the crowd, then marched over to Katara and her grandmother. He asked where they were hiding him. Before the lack of immediate response he grabbed Gran Gran and showed her to the villagers.

"He'd be about this age? Master of all elements?" He added. Again: no response. After a brief pause, he roughly threw Gran Gran back to Katara. With a cry of frustration he launched a splash of fire, the flame arching horizontally over the villager's heads. They cowered in fear. "I know you're hiding him!" He shouted impatiently. Behind Zuko, Sokka stood up, his face paint largely gone. He retrieved his weapon and, with another cry, charged at the prince who turned to him in annoyance and easily dodged and flipped him over his head. Zuko fired a blast at Sokka, but the water tribe warrior rolled out of the way, throwing his boomerang at Zuko as he did. Caught by surprise, the firebender barely avoided the boomerang. He looked back in anger at the enemy teen over the near miss. A little boy in the crowd threw Sokka a spear.

"Show no fear!" The little one yelled. The young man caught it and charged at prince again, who, as Sokka reached him, broke off pieces of the spear shaft with his wrist guards. After the head of the spear has been shorn off, the prince grabbed the spear and repeatedly hit his opponent on the forehead before breaking it in half and dropping the pieces on the ground. The lone and proud warrior was also on the ground, rubbing his head. All his attacks having miserably failed due to the enemy's superior skills, he was not so proud anymore... Zuko was standing sternly over him when in the sky the boomerang reappeared and slammed him in the back of the head, knocking his helmet. Furious, the prince began to spit fire out of his hands as he hovered menacingly over Sokka.

It was then that Aang skyrocketed towards the village on a penguin, staff in hand and flew right under Zuko, sweeping his legs out from under him. The prince of the Fire Nation landed butt up. The helmet landed on his behind. The children cheered as Aang reached the villagers. As he and the penguin banked, they dumped a lot of snow on the cheering kids. They stopped cheering for a moment, looked at each other, then kept on cheering again. The otter-penguin slid to a halt and pushed its passenger off. It got up, looked at Aang, and then turned and waddled away.

"Hey Katara. Hey Sokka." The airbender greeted them casually with a smile.

"Hi Aang. Thanks for comin'." Sokka greeted back, dryly. Aang looked over at the Firebenders. The Fire Prince got to his feet and assumed a firebending stance. The child readied his staff, surrounded by Zuko and his men. They started to close in, but he blew them away on either side of him with blasts of air and snow before blasting Zuko as well, but he held his ground, shielding his face from the wind.

"Looking for me?!" Aang challenged him.

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?" The teenager in the red armor asked, incredulous, melting the snow that had landed on him with his body heat. Sokka and Katara could not believe it either. Zuko and Aang maneuvered into position against each other in the middle of the village.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter... Training... Meditating... You're just a child!" The prince frowned.

"Well, you're just a teenager." Aang replied back, clueless as to what the firebender could be so angry about. Zuko fired blast after blast. Aang cried out, hard pressed, fear showing on his youthful face. He dissipated each blast by rapidly twirling his staff in front of him. But the dissipation did not block the fire from reaching the villagers and they cried out. The tattooed boy looked behind, realizing that he could not protect them all. He stopped.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?"

Zuko was still in a firebending stance, but after a brief pause he straightened up and nodded stiffly. He, too, disliked hurting people unnecessarily. The soldiers took Aang's staff and lead him to the ship. Katara rushed forward.

"No, Aang! Don't do this!" She cried distressfully.

"Don't worry, Katara, it'll be okay. Take care of Appa for me until I get back."

The soldiers pushed him forward.

"Head a course to the Fire Nation. I'm going home." Zuko ordered. They boarded the ship and the bowsprit rose back up. Aang looked back wistfully at his new friend as the ship was closing. He was trying to smile reassuringly. But seeing the pain and the tears in the girl's blue eyes, his smile faltered and vanished and the bowsprit closed over him, snapping into place.

The Black Cliffs: an uninhabited length of high coastal cliff-face and stacks located on an uninhabited inner island of the Fire Nation that took their name from the dark volcanic rock from which they were formed. Home to the boarcupines, and the koala sheep. The koala sheep notably were famed for their gentle and fearless disposition and their unbelievably soft and fluffy wool. And after years of being chained to those poles, what could be more comforting to Chenlian's sore body than those sweet and cuddly creatures? After a dinner of fish, wild herbs, tubers, and berries, she trained again and went to rest and snuggled against one, closing her eyes. Such an ideal pillow it made. Instinctively, she groped around for another one she used as a plush toy. Even back in her mansion a long time ago she could not remember sleeping on something as comfy as that animal. And yet that was such a happy time: training, studying, sleeping, eating yummy things, regularly being invited to the palace...

Although her reason for going had first been to answer to someone's unspoken challenge (or so it felt like) it had gradually changed to a wish to meet someone else. But now was not the time to dwell on the past. She had had enough time for that. She had to focus on the future, on getting to the Avatar, and even more at hand on not making a mistake during her journey... or so she thought, but was unable to deny that longing she had to return home, even just her beach house on Ember Island. She knew there would be no one waiting for her no matter how much she would have wished. It was just a place... But it was no use trying to reason. Could she really move forward like this? She had never seen their face once since her capture and their banishment. Assassins had killed them before she could escape and get back to them. Then she had spent quite some time wandering through the world, desperately trying to adjust to the changes in her life, keep herself together, and walk forward, no matter what. But Chenlian never had the chance to properly say her goodbyes to that life she once had. How could she completely devote herself to her purpose if she was still prisoner of the past?

The next day, she would go to Ember Island. That was the only way to make sure. Bathed in the memories of her childhood, recalling how happy she was then before suddenly falling into a precipice of despair. Will she be able to break free from the chains of sorrow and hatred, or will the white hot fetters of revenge only burn deeper into her?

Zuko's ship had gone into the cloudy Antarctic white night, leaving a jagged path through the ice as plainly visible as the shattered village wall. A fire was burning at the center of the village and the inhabitants were all busy fixing the damage done by the attack. They looked sad. Katara was at the water's edge looking out at the sun over the sea. Sokka walked by behind her carrying some things.

"We have to go after that ship, Sokka. Aang saved our tribe; now we have to save him." She told her brother firmly, full of determination.

"Katara, I-"

"Why can't you realize that he's on our side? If we don't help him, no one will. I know you don't like Aang, but we owe him and I-" She ranted again, interrupting him.

"Katara! Are you gonna talk all day or are you comin' with me?" He cut her off with more authority this time and motioned to his left to show a canoe ready to go. The girl cried out his name happily and gave him a bear hug. "Get in. We're going to save your boyfriend." He teased his little sis.

"He's not my-"

"Whatever." The boy shrugged.

"What do you two think you're doing?" Gran Gran suddenly appeared behind them. They turned and tried to look innocent. The elder's tone and expression was severe, but then she smiled and offered them a blue bundle. "You'll need these. You have a long journey ahead of you. It's been so long since I've had hope. But you brought it back to life, my little waterbender." She hugged her granddaughter. "And you, my brave warrior, be nice to your sister." She embraced her grandson, knowing his habit of taunting people and being sarcastic. He patted her on the shoulder, a little embarrassed and not used to such a display of affection from his older family member, and a little reluctant to do what she was asking. "Aang is the Avatar. He's the world's only chance. You both found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with his." She declared gravely. The siblings looked at each other, slightly apprehensive. Katara pointed out that they could not catch up with a war ship on a canoe. It was then that they heard a low rumble and saw Appa mounting the crest of hill and approaching.

"Appa!" The girl yelled out happily and running toward the animal.

"You just love taking me out of my comfort zone, don't ya?" Sokka said again, sarcastically.

On the foredeck of Zuko's ship that was cutting through the water, Aang, hands bound behind him, was facing Zuko, Iroh and a group of guards.

"This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks. Take the Avatar to the prison hold." The prince said. "And take this to my quarters." He shoved the staff in Iroh's direction who took it before in turn giving it to the guard on his left, telling him to take it to his quarters for him. Guard who had no choice but to obey. Aang was escorted down some stairs into the ship and into the hallways. The airbender challenged the guards who ordered him to stay silent. They stopped in front of a door. As one of the guards moved to open the door with a key, Aang drew a great breath and blew the guard with the key into the door, knocking him out. The breath also propelled him backwards and into the guard behind him. They are blown all the way back down and crashed into the stairs they came down on. The guard is knocked out since Aang used him to cushion his own impact. The boy airbended himself back up onto the deck and airbended the door at the end of the deck open. He entered the ship and ran down the hall. One of the guards Aang just escaped from emerged and shouted up to a guard on the bridge deck.

"The Avatar has escaped!"


	3. Escape

**Fight****03: Escape**

Appa was swimming through the ice cold water, with Katara at the reigns and Sokka on his back in the saddle. The ponytailed water tribesman was drearily giving various orders, all with the same basic meaning: go up and fly, while his sister was trying to coax the beast into flying on its own. Everything failed until Sokka remembered what the kid was saying. 'Yip yip'. Appa rumbled again and began to flop his massive beaver tail. He hopped along the surface of the water as he picked up speed. Finally, with a mighty heave, he took off into the sky. Katara was ecstatic, just like her brother (despite all his previous grumbling and skepticism), until he noticed the smug look on her face and acted nonchalant again.

Aang was running down one of the ship's hallway, his hands still bound behind him. He turned and ran right into three Fire Nation soldiers blocking his way, weapons drawn. Panting, he asked if they had seen his staff. But they only closed in on him menacingly. He ran forward and along the walls and ceiling in corkscrew circles, avoiding the guards easily before thanking them anyway. He went into another hallway, this time blocked by a single guard who blasted a fireball at him, but he evaded it by launching himself over the guards head, calculating his jump to cut his wrist bonds by catching them on the horn of the guard's helmet. The bonds broke and the guard was thrown off balance and onto the ground. Aang, his hands now free, tried opening random doors. The last door he opened revealed a snoring Iroh. He whispered a 'sorry' and gently closed the door before going on. He then ran by another open door, stopped and turned back to it. He had seen his staff. He entered and the door shut behind him. Zuko had been hiding in wait for the Avatar.

"Looks like I underestimated you." After a brief pause, the prince blasted fire at Aang, who barely dodged. The terrified child was hyperventilating. After dodging a few more shots, Aang rolled underneath Zuko to get behind him and make him unable to blast him with fire. After a time, they were facing each other again and the boy would dissipate each fireball with a small air ball he would form with his hands. Aang created an air scooter and rode around the walls and ceiling of the room, barely avoiding the flames. The airball vanished and he grabbed a tapestry off the wall and wrapped Zuko up in it as he passed. While the young man struggled against the tapestry, the airbender retrieved his staff. The prince broke free and the fight went on. After a few seconds Aang airbended a mattress up off the floor and slammed it into the firebender. The mattress propelled Zuko into the opposite wall where he was smashed and he fell to the ground, onto the mattress. Aang then airbended the mattress with its passenger up to the ceiling. Both fell back down to the ground. When Zuko looked up in anger, Aang was gone.

The Avatar airbended himself on to the bridge from below and rushed out on to the bridge's observation deck. He opened his glider, threw it into the air and jumped after it, catching it with a happy expression on his face. Unfortunately, behind him, Zuko had jumped after him in pursuit and with a fierce cry of desperation, grabbed Aang's foot. They fell down and got up, ready to fight again. After noticing the wonder on the prince's face, the boy turned around and was reassured to see that Appa, Katara and Sokka had come to his rescue. However, he could not afford a second of inattention and turned just in time to use his staff to block a fire blast from Zuko. With the same method, he escaped other blasts and came back down on the edge of the deck, almost falling overboard. He regained his balance but other fireballs were shot at him, knocking his staff away from him. The airbender dodged a few more blasts before being finally knocked overboard and falling into the sea. Katara cried his name hysterically as he was sinking into the icy waters. Hearing her final cry, Aang's eyes and tattoo's glowed white while his expression grew hard and determined. He turned around in the water and rose toward the surface, a great whirlpool of water taking shape around him. The monstrous, inverted tornado of water propelled toward the surface at amazing speed. He broke the surface in front of the ship, towering high over the bridge. Zuko looked at the Avatar and the great power he was displaying and dismay and fear showed on his scarred and handsome face. Aang landed on the deck, his eyes still aglow, and bended the water from the column around him in circle before releasing and expanding it outward in a shockwave that blasted Zuko and his men overboard. Sokka and Katara looked, incredulous, at the amazing waterbending they had just witnessed. Aang wobbled and fell forward, the white energy fading from his eyes and tattoos. Appa landed and Katara and Sokka rushed to him, extremely worried.

"Hey Katara. Hey Sokka. Thanks for coming." The boy said, completely drained.

"Well, I couldn't let you have all the glory." Sokka justified himself before going to take back the staff at Aang's request. But as he picked it up, he was shocked to see Zuko holding the other end of it. He was hanging out over the deck. The tribesman hit the prince's head three times as a revenge for when Zuko had done it to him earlier. The scarred teenager let go and fell but grabbed the anchor chain in time, hanging by one hand. Katara put Aang on Appa's head, but the guards were recovering and getting ready for combat again. She tried to freeze them with her waterbending, but due to her inexperience and lack of skills, the water lashed far behind, freezing the water on the deck and even her brother's feet. He chipped at the ice encasing his feet with his boomerang while the soldiers moved forward again, spear in hand. She made another attempt, proceeding differently this time though, and succeeded. She told her brother to hurry up. Sokka, freed himself at last after more chipping and a bit of complaining. He ran up Appa's tail, yelling 'yip yip'. Once he was onboard, the monster took off to the sky. Iroh who had just emerged onto the deck after his nap, looked up at the sky to see the flying beast. He rubbed his eyes, probably wondering if he was still dreaming. Appa was rapidly flying away from the ship. Iroh helped his nephew back onto the deck.

"Shoot them down!" The prince bellowed.

As Appa was gaining altitude, Zuko and Iroh launched in unison a massive bolt of fire at Appa. Katara and Sokka looked behind them in horror at the approaching fireball. Aang jumped to the back of the saddle and, using his staff like a baseball bat, airbended a crescent-shaped gale that sent the fireball at a right angle away from Appa and into the ice cliff nearby. The fireball exploded, releasing a huge amount of ice from the cliff wall that fell into the narrow channel and almost buried the bow of Zuko's ship, to the prince's horror. And indeed the entire channel was blocked up under an avalanche of ice.

"Good news for the Fire Lord. The nation's greatest threat is just a little kid." Iroh said.

"That kid, Uncle, just did this." Zuko gestured toward the bow of his heavily damaged ship encased in the ice. "I won't underestimate him again. Dig this ship out and follow them!" Then he noticed the soldiers using controlled firebending to thaw out their compatriots frozen by Katara. "...As soon as you're done with that."

In the distance, flying on Appa, the three youngsters were laughing. They had escaped from the Fire Nation. Katara was voicing her amazement at Aang's waterbending and asking how he had done that. But the boy did not know. He just sort of... did it. The airbender was sitting cross legged on the bridge of the saddle, a slightly sad and confused expression on his face.

"Why didn't you tell us you were the Avatar?" The girl asked again, more seriously.

"Because... I never wanted to be."

"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the Avatar to return and finally put an end to this war."

"And how am I going to do that?" The boy looked down sadly. Katara replied that according to legend, he needed to first master water, then earth, then fire and suggested that they went to the North Pole so he could master waterbending. Aang was delighted that they could learn it together. And Sokka was delighted that he would get to knock some firebender heads on the way.

"Then we're in this together." The girl concluded.

"All right, but before I learn waterbending, we have some serious business to attend to." He airbended himself over to them and opens the scroll he had produced to reveal a map. "Here, here, and here." He pointed to two spots in the Earth Kingdom, and one spot on the southern Air Nomad islands in quick succession. Katara asked what was there. "Here," He pointed to the eastern Earth Kingdom. "We'll ride the hopping llamas. Then waaaay over here," He pointed at a spot on the southern Air Nomad islands. "We'll surf on the backs of giant koi fish. Then back over here we'll ride the hog-monkeys. They don't like people riding them, but that's what makes it fun!"

_"Some __**serious **__matter"_...was it?

Chenlian immediately left for her family's own vacation house on Ember Island. Staying in the capital would have been too dangerous, but Ember Island should be okay. The 'flight' was still long and difficult because it had been so long since she had last used her limbs. Truth be told, she should not be going there either but that was something she needed to do. If she wanted to move forward, she had to say her goodbyes to the past first. Luckily, since it was not summer, there would not be too many people, but it was still a tropical island, and the temperature was above 18° celsius all year long.

She landed at a beach house of medium size, nestled among a few trees against a promontory. A narrow path was leading down to a small private beach. In the yard, there was a little pond with a fountain shaped like a half-immerged dragon, a willow, and stone benches. There were also a few fruits bearing trees for the shade and the delicious advantages, so they could enjoy persimmons, cherries, apples and plums to their heart's content. Their own mansions were more sober as they were not the type to openly show what they liked, contrary to their dislikes. And further against the promontory was a stone rectangular arena you could access by walking up the few steps of the stone stairs. That was where she would train during holidays. At the centre of this arena was a round fountain that had been dug fifty centimetres, although the water would only reach thirty centimetres. And in the middle of that basin, the water would flow out of the huge carved lotus flower. There was no longer any water in the fountain's pool, only rocks. The liquid had stopped flowing from the now cracked stone flower. The vegetation was overgrown, some stone structures were cracked, the painted walls had lost their colors, and a thick layer of dust covered everything inside.

As the girl walked along the corridors, her expression unreadable, she let her fingers stray nostalgically, remembering every bump, every mark, the grain of each texture, the smell of the food, the time and circumstances in which the pictures were taken, the beauty and ambition of her mother, from whom she had inherited her brownish red hair colour, the loyalty and strictness of her father , the kindness and wits of her grandmother, the strength and iron discipline of her grandfather (during the rare times he was actually there and not at war) – traits she shared with all of them – who would force her to study scrolls about waterbending, earthbending , and even a hundred-years-old treasure: an airbending scroll salvaged during the destruction of the Air Temples by their ancestor who had done what was expected of him as a member of the military but still felt it was a shame to lose such a culture, and had attempted to save something, as little as it was. She had done countless breathing exercises, countless drills, pounding her later famed patience, endurance, and iron control as well as her adaptability into her old, arrogant, over-confident, impulsive, impatient, reckless, and all too direct self.

All that because her grandfather which was a renowned firebending master, genuinely disliked his own art to which he preferred waterbending. And she absolutely wanted to learn from him. He certainly hated fire even more than before now, if he was not dead yet, which was very doubtful, if not plain impossible... She had of course learned the usual firebending forms. But after being forced to learn the other styles, she had naturally integrated them to make her own.

Beginning with a ferocious, direct and powerful punching style, followed by unmatched, powerful and stealth kicking, both low and high, crescent and aerial, that could be used in rapid succession, potent open palm techniques, knifehand chops and blocks, pokes and slapping techniques along with evasion and utilizing the force of the enemy against them, to what she added a useful medium stance swift footwork, facilitating quicker transitions and improving the speed, balance, and agility. She then learned effective throwing and containment techniques.

Her art possessed the equilibrium, balance and elegance of the Crane and featured open palm thrusts, knifehanded strikes and blocks, powerful kicks and the use of the crane's beak. The fingers would be utilized to strike at weak spots while the hard surface of the bent wrist would be utilized to strike with power in odd angles. The beak could also used as a hook to parry incoming attacks.

It could be combined with the strength and power of the Tiger and its claws often aiming for vulnerable targets such as the face. It also made use of devastating and dynamic kicks.

The Leopard was responsible for her lightning speed, agility, muscle structure, and destructive techniques. It made use of the Leopard's claw, basically a half-fist, created by folding each finger at the fist phalanx, using the ridge created thus as a striking surface, also using the palm of the claw as secondary weapon. The leopard aimed at narrow targets with its agility and speed, such as the throat, the ribs, the joints and nerve targets. The joint of the wrist was utilized as a blocking surface. It also employed palm thrusts to the face, powerful elbow and knee techniques, and lightning-fast low kicks.

The goal of the Snake style was to develop superior endurance, flexibility, evasion and strategic combat, allowing its practitioner a greater control of their chi through breathing exercises and evasion of the opponent with its sinuous movements. The snake fist was simply an open, extended palm, with the palm pointing downwards and the straight fingers pointed at the enemy, targeting only the most vulnerable and soft areas like the throat, some joints and nerve clusters. The snake arm was used to parry an attack utilizing circular and sinuous movements.

And at last, the Dragon represented intelligence, internal power and the ability to flow in combat, and sought the development and improvement of one's chi and spirit. It made ample use of the fist as a striking weapon, but it also featured the Dragon Claw, formed with an open palm, but with the first phalanxes of the finger slightly bent, to strike with the palm, to chop, to claw or to grasp an attacker. It emphasized circular, explosive and long distance attacks, designed for penetrating an opponent's defense. The Dragon, though seeking spiritual development, was neither internal nor external but balanced and complemented the two external styles (Tiger and Leopard), and the two internal styles (Crane and Snake).

This idea relied on the fact that the Avatar was known as the strongest person _thanks to_ his mastery of the four elements. And it was thanks to that that she had been known as a prodigy able to rival the princess. But only ten percents of it was talent. The vast majority came from sheer hard work and hate for losing, which only made her work harder if she failed.

The firebender stumbled upon a certain picture. It represented her family together with the royal family. She gazed at it for a long time, her eyes narrowing, before she started trembling, prey to contradictory emotions, not knowing what expression to make. She was fighting with herself. Then she closed her eyes and opened them again. She still hated him, more than anything, she still despised him from the bottom of her heart, she still resented him, more than ever, and she could never forgive him. Never. Because that man no longer cared about anyone but himself. He did not even care about his own family. That was right. She still hated him, more than anything, she still despised him from the bottom of her heart, she still resented him, more than ever, and she could never forgive him... but...

"Mother, Father, I am alright. I will be alright. I will not cry. I will stay strong and uphold our honor, our principles, and our convictions wherever I may go. And I promise I will regain our family's honour, our nation's honor, and I will help set everything back to the way they should be. Now I'm going. Goodbye." The girl changed into something else, did her hair differently, and then, without a single tear or back look, Chenlian left.

**_"Are you crying?"_**

_"Like I said, I'm not crying. If I have the time to cry, I should be keeping my promise to them instead..." _

She had seen what she wanted to see. She had not come here to cry and be all emotional, but to reinforce her resolve. Not matter how hard things were going to be, she would not cry anymore, she would stand strong and proud, she would not waver, she would not bow down, she would not seek revenge for herself, and she will do anything in her power to help the Avatar and those who would need her. The dead did not need tears, but someone to keep their wills and hopes alive. She would not fight for the dead, but to protect those who were still alive. She would live for her own sake, for everyone's sake and accomplish everything she wants to.

The young woman went to the beach and walked barefoot in the sand and sea. She needed a workout. She would think later about the night's accommodation and what needed to be bought. She put down her luggage and started training, first in hand to hand combat and then with her firebending and her dragon straight sword, her expression lost in thought. When she finished, she heard two people clapping and turned around. It was two guys, two attractive teenagers. They complimented her on her skills, their tone and pose full of vain arrogance, like they thought they were the greatest teenagers in the Fire Nation. Such empty praise to her ears...

"Oh no, not at all. I haven't been practicing for a long time so I'm really out of shape and I don't have any strength..." The red haired girl smiled sweetly before hanging her head dejectedly. That type has always been the easiest one to deceive and manipulate. If she played the cute and weak little girl trying to act strong and tough but who still needed 'real' men, she'd surely get anything she wanted... "Maybe if I had someone to spar with..."

"Someone? What about your friends and family?"

"My family died in the war, and I'm currently travelling to meet friends."

"And your boyfriend?"

"I don't have one."

"You must be kidding, right?"

"Well... I kind of had someone maybe but it's been years since we could last talk. I'm sure he's completely forgotten about me." Chenlian chuckled sadly, a little embarrassed, yet again using the truth for her own plan.

"Then why don't you forget about him too? If you don't have a place to stay tonight, you can come over if you want. There's no one but us." The 'leader' looked at her invitingly with a confident smile and put a hand on her shoulder, close to her neck. The two teens introduced themselves as Chan, who was the son of an admiral, and his friend Ruon-jian. They asked if it was her first time here, but she would come often when she was a kid. They also questioned her about her cooking abilities, which surprised her, but nonetheless answered that she was proficient enough. She naturally kept quiet about the real reason behind her proficiency. If she did not want to starve she had to make her own food. And if she did not know about some plants, she had to test them herself, sometimes with disastrous consequences... although there has been people kind enough to teach her many things about the healing or culinary properties of plants, as long as they did not know she was a firebender...

They then proceeded to explain that they had come here to leave the cage and spread their wings a bit. Although from the looks of it, it seemed more like they had caused a bit of trouble and had been sent here to cool their heads and they were taking advantage of it to get away from their authoritative parents. She praised their desire for independence with a sweet and charming little smile. The young red haired girl took a step and tripped in the sand, half because that training session had exhausted her more than anticipated, half because for macho like them, being a little weak and looking in awe before how strong and manly they were was the best course of action. Of course Chan caught her by the waist as expected (even though she could have caught herself). She had never been one for shallow and stupid conduct or to change her ways to fit what people wanted or expected of her, and that was no matter what person they were. However she had had to learn to tone down and dampen that self-centredness in order to survive. Well, it should be alright since she was not planning on staying long.

She accepted Chan's offer because she had nowhere else to go but in her mind thought about the rotten idle wasteful and completely brainwashed youth of the Fire Nation's high class who wallowed in self-importance, those fangless dogs, sheltered babies who knew nothing of the reality of the world, what it was to lose everything you had, your family, you honor, your marks, everything you believed in, people's consideration... They obviously did not know what it felt like to be hated and despised by everyone from each and every nation including your own. They had obviously never gone hungry or been betrayed times and times again, when they were the most in need. They had never been hunted like an animal. They had never known the deep crushing darkness of despair that is born from loneliness, especially at night, or the feeling of being devoured alive by the sheer intensity of their hatred and desire for revenge... but what use resenting them? She would just use them and play along for now and leave as soon as possible, once she had recuperated enough.

Although she understood the necessity, she had always loathed deceiving people no matter what she would go through as it went against her honor code and always made a point to be as honest and truthful as possible. But for some reason with these guys she felt no qualms in mercilessly and contemptuously manipulating them and lying to them. Well, she was not cruel enough to tell them a few home truths when they were kindly letting her say for free. It was not like she was such a hothead that she'd let go of a free lodging just because she couldn't keep her mouth shut. All she had to do was cook for those guys who could not even cook for themselves as the attendants had been sent away too. It was not that she particularly disliked them. But their vanity and superficiality bothered her a bit.

They literally took Chenlian by the hand to their house of quite reasonable size built right at the edge of the cliff side with a balcony supported by long stilts. They gave her a tour, and in one of the rooms, she stopped before the instruments on display, all of high quality and very expensive, with beautiful inlaid patterns.

"Those are my mother's."

"May I try the pipa?" The girl inquired politely.

"Sorry I can't. I'm dead if something happens to it."

"Do not worry. I have absolute confidence in my skills." Chenlian told him reassuringly with a cute engaging smile. Smirking back, the young man gave in and without a word went to look for the key. Ruon-jian took advantage of the momentary absence of his friend to strike a conversation, occasionally flipping his hair, his left knee slightly bent forward, his right hand on his hip, closer to her than she usually allowed guys to be. Chan came back with the key to the case, passed in between the two, giving a look to the other male, and opened the case before carefully taking the pear-shaped instrument and giving to the girl. They sat down, she started playing, and the melody sprang alive, her virtuosity allowed complete manipulation over the timber and tone, the pitch and vibrations, making the bright and strong sound of the pipa, sometimes striking the board for a percussive sound, sometimes twisting the strings for a cymbal-like effect, while her left hand gave the music a violin or guitar-like quality. She could make the bold strings rattle like a sudden rain and the fine strings hum like a lover's whispers for an overall very expressive play, sensual and intimate, joyful and mischievous, elegant and refined.

The boys were impressed. Martial arts, firebending and swordsmanship were not her only skills. She gave the instrument back to Chan who then led her to her room where she put down her luggage. She was allowed to bath before going to the kitchen where she prepared a feast as much for her own sake as for theirs. However it took longer than expected because of a certain admiral's son who would keep clinging to her, sometimes enclosing her in his strong arms, his chin right above her right shoulder, enjoying her fresh, feminine, sensual scent of dewy roses with a tiny hint of bittersweet orange and the gourmand note of crushed sun-ripened raspberries. She would listen to his sweet talk, and without leading him on, would not completely turn him down either, until his lips closed in on her in an attempt to kiss her, she put a piece of meat in his mouth and let her index finger on his lips.

"That is **all** you will get from me." Chenlian told him with a charming playful smile. "Now be a good boy and go sit down and wait." She added; her tone still playful but more motherly now. And he had given in again. After the meal they talked again, and she played a few more pieces before excusing herself. She was tired. Chan jumped on the occasion to escort her back. Once more, the young girl thanked him for his invitation and wished him good night but just as she was going to open the door, two hands were placed on the painted wood on either side of her face. She waited.

"And now, is it possible?"

She slowly turned around and their eyes met. They stayed like this for a time, and he leaned in, but just before their lips touched she put her index on his and gently but firmly pushed his head away.

"Sorry, I can't allow more." She smiled a sweet apologetic smile. He took her hand.

"Is it because of him?" _\- Him_ – the guy she did not forget after all these years. She kept smiling without a word. "**I** can make you forget about him."

"Yes, it would be nice if you could." Her smile was then tinted with sadness. Even if he had forgotten about her she would not forget about him, she – could – not forget about him, and had no intention to. It was true that everything might have been simpler were it not for those feelings. But she was going to see him again, and talk with him, and save him and help him remember his real self and walk down the right path again. It might be difficult, he might have changed, but he was the one she had chosen, she believed in him, in his kindness –even if it was now buried inside – and more than anything, she believed in her own judgement. "But I'm sorry, I can't allow more. Goodnight, Chan. Ah, if anyone tries anything during my sleep, they're dead. Please pass the message to your friend who's waiting over there." The smile and tone had become cheerful but there was something kind of intensely cold and scary about her. It had only lasted one second but he felt he better obey.

The next morning, while the guys were still sleeping, Chenlian trained a little by running a few laps and doing some other stretching and strengthening exercises and this time even tried some somersaults. It was still not quite perfect, but she was slowly getting the hang of it again. Then made breakfast and Chan offered to train her so they did some drills after she asked him to go easy on her: if a strong guy like him hit her full force, she would not escape unscathed. She worked on her evasion skills and how to use the opponent's force against them but also tested her brute strength and speed with direct hits. She still needed work, but she was slowly getting better. They ate the leftovers for lunch, rested a little, and went shopping in the market. Of course the guys carried their own food. She lost them for a time to buy what she needed for her travel: fruits, some vegetables and buns and some filling snacks like meat jerky. She was focused on picking the best aliments when she was hailed again. Some guys had offered to carry her basket and help her but she turned them down. They did not really seem like thieves or bad people, just too persistent guys. They were starting to get annoying when Chan and Ruon-jian found her again. They possessively pulled her toward them saying she was with them. Ruon-jian then placed his hands on her shoulders while Chan scared the pests away thanks to his status. She was gently admonished for having not been careful enough to what she apologised in a cute depressed way. They went back home, trained some more, chatted, played, bathed, and after dinner she played the pipa for them again.

Then she woke up during the night and when she was sure they were still fast asleep, she took some leftovers and once more quietly slipped away in the middle of the night. She walked to a secluded spot and took flight.


	4. Buried past

**Fight****04: Buried past **

It was her third day of flying (propelling herself though jets of fire) after leaving Ember Island. After escaping from Zuko's ship, the Avatar and his friends had first stopped to rest at the other edge of the South Pole, went on to an Earth Kingdom island before flying back eastward to an island that had once been part of the Air Nomads' territory and now were travelling due west again to the Earth Kingdom. The Avatar certainly wanted to reach the Southern Air Temple but had no real idea of the exact direction... unless it was a strategy to lose his pursuers? Oh well. Whatever the case, they seemed good at evasion so she probably should not worry too much about them.

The young girl with red hair and amber eyes was now flying over a city that was once called North Chung-Ling but changed its name after a ridiculously huge statue powered by natural gas was built there. The hateful man was depicted his head tilted back, bare and well-toned chest, and could be seen shooting fire from his mouth to the sky and from his fists to the ground. And while she acknowledged him as a VERY powerful firebender and that everyone else in the Fire Nation revered him as Fire Lord Ozai; to her she was the man who put her through a living hell. But it was not (only) out of spite that Chenlian had decided to join the Avatar, nor to avenge those who have died because of him or all who were still suffering. It would be lying to say she had never dreamed of revenge or that she had forgiven him. But those two, almost three years of forced sleep had given her all the time in the world to think. She had gained knowledge and wisdom as well as heightened abilities that he could not fathom during the lengthy conversations she had had with the ancient spiritual being that now shared her body and mind... although the beginning of their 'relationship' had been quite hectic...

At this rate, it would have been no good. Even if she managed to kill him, nothing would have changed. No, it would have been even worse than before. Killing for revenge and not for Justice, she would have become a common murderer. If she had seized power this way, it would have just encouraged such practices and in the end, she too would have fallen victim to that cycle of hatred and revenge. She would have been unable to restore the truth, betrayed her family's expectations, her own principles. The only person who should pass Judgement on Fire Lord Ozai was the Avatar. Anyone else would only feed oil to the flames of war, and that included her too. If she wanted things to change, she could only believe in the Avatar and do whatever was in her power to help. If negative actions and feelings could affect the world, then positive actions and feelings should too.

However, all the wisdom in the world could not fill an empty stomach. But it could help obtain things that would fill it. Chenlian went down to the upland of the island. There was almost nothing but grass. She walked down to the Fire Fountain City. She had no choice if she wanted to earn money to buy clothes, food, and other young girl was wandering in the streets full of shops, eateries, and scammers, especially in the permanent Fair. She put her hand above her clothes where her purse was hidden.

Suddenly a nice smell snapped the young girl back to reality. This was not the flaming fire flakes or the fire gummies she loved but something different. Unlike most Fire Nation food that was very spicy, those were deliciously sweet and made by mixing egg whites, sugar, nut flour and cream. A bag of those normally cost four copper pieces but...

"Welcome."

"One bag, please."

"That'll be four copper pieces."

"Four?! That's expensive... I saw I could buy some for three pieces over there... I guess I'll just go back." The red head said (lied), apparently troubled.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Try one of mine. It's real tasty." The old man tried to hold his customer back with a smile.

"But... I think I'll still go for the cheaper ones." She smiled back apologetically and began to leave.

"Ah...! Alright! Alright... how about a special discount?! Three copper pieces!" The street vendor held up the thumb, index and middle finger of his left hand for more effect. The girl grinned sweetly. And some time later Chenlian was strolling again through the streets while savouring her sweets. It was then she noticed the music instruments on display. She took a pipa and admired it.

"You have very fine taste, young lady!" The merchant praised her, suddenly coming out of his shop to join her. "This is an excellent pipa made in the Earth Kingdom."

"Is it alright if I try playing it?"

"Please, by all means!"

Soon, the quick, sharp, powerful notes of the difficult piece 'give me a rose' echoed with a sense of sensuality and the few bystanders, who had become a large crowd, marvelled at her technique and the evident delight and passion with which the young girl was playing. Everyone clapped when she was finished.

"I'm astonished! Your skills are magnificent! As an honour to you, I'll give you a special discount! Five silver pieces! What do you think?" The seller offered, sure the lady was going to accept.

"I don't need it then." Chenlian replied bluntly, her eyes closed, standing up and holding the instrument at arm length. "But..."

"But...?"

"I'd buy it for one silver piece!" She grinned, her right index in the air.

"Young lady, that's so mean!"

After a few more negotiations (also called 'haggling'), the teen managed to get the pipa for only three silver pieces. And with that pipa, she was going to get much more money. She could play in the streets or perform in eateries... Whatever it was, with her skills, it was impossible for her to go hungry. Though she would need clothes too, and other hair ornaments, and she would love to spend the night in a real bed too, if possible. And just as the young girl was considering the best course of action, she heard a drum playing and a bell tinting. Curious, she looked down from the bridge she was on. There was an old table painted with red and green stripes.

"Time to play Shang-shan-san! Come on everyone, place your bets!"

On one end was a sort of large tin bowl and on the other big white dots were painted on the stripes: One on one stripe, two on the next stripe and three on the next stripe again. A fat man wearing a mask was hitting on a drum settled on his belly and attached behind his head. Another man with moustache and tight-fitting cloths was sitting behind the bowl. And at his left stood another... "well-fed" man with moustache and a receding hairline. He was smiling amiably, but upon a closer look the red-haired could detect a sharp glint in his eyes. He and the drummer were attracting customers. Sitting at the table were a pretty young woman, a granny, and a muscled middle-aged man Chenlian would swear was a factory worker. Many onlookers were there too. The gamblers called and put their money on the dotted stripes.

Shang-shan-san. The dealer spins foreign coins that have a white face. He spins a total of three coins and you have to guess how many would fall white face up. If only one does it's 'shang', if two do it's 'shan' and if the three do it's 'san', and you'd get back double your bet. But if all three of them are black then it's called the 'house takes all' and the house wins. Chenlian observed for several long minutes before frowning. That was obviously a fraud. The dealer could control the first two coins with the third. And the outcome was decided by the roundish man with the sly look. It might be a fraud but to them it was business and they felt they had no choice. And most people here enjoyed gambling. If they actually wanted to earn money, indulging in such games would be pure madness. However if those people kept playing they were going to lose all their money. The worker was certainly going to lose the next round too, the grandma was winning for now but then it would be her turn because she was going to bet more than a piece of silver. So Chenlian was going to make an example. Why them? Because they had caught her attention. That was all.

"You guys are really a foolish bunch... believing the odds are fair even when they aren't. Talk about being completely oblivious." Chenlian butted in with a smile full of self-assurance. "Don't you understand? That guy can make the coins show whichever side he wants. If you continue, you'll be the first to lose" She said to the factory worker. "Then you, granny, then you, Lady. You're just allowed to win right now. You'll lose your money in no time. It's because you can't see through something so simple that you'll always be fools." She told them in a ruthlessly blunt tone that certainly sounded arrogant and condescending to everyone else.

"Who the hell is this brat?"

"Yes, that's right. Don't speak like a know-it-all."

"Children should keep out of the adults' business."

"Go back home before your ma grounds you."

She did not heed the complaints. She was only looking at the man who smirked back at her.

"Hey, missy, you've got guts. Since you're so sure of yourself, you better be able to prove that this guy can control the coins." The balding man provoked was what she was waiting for.

"Alright, I'll prove it." She sat down on a barrel while the others stood up and backed down a few steps. The old man's searching eyes bore into hers. He frowned before her strong and unwavering gaze but nonetheless nodded toward the spinner who tossed the first coin. The young girl took her bag of sweets and put one on 'shan'. The second coin started spinning. She looked at the one who had challenged her, and put another sweet on 'san'. The dealer did not look good when he saw her move but still threw the third coin. She put four sweets on 'shang'. The dealer was surprised and looked even worse. The coins landed. One white. Shang. She had won. She took her sweets back. But the cunning man was still not satisfied.

"Wait a minute. I'll bet for the girl." The factory worker interrupted, sitting next to Chenlian. "You don't mind, right?" He asked the teen at his right.

"Of course not." She smiled back at him. The dealer spun the first coin. The girl whispered to the factory worker, and he put his money on 'shang'. When the second coin was spinning, she told him to bet on 'shan'. The master scammer narrowed his eyes at her. The dealer was flexing his fingers. Then, at Chenlian's suggestion, the worker put one gold piece on 'san.' The coins landed. Three whites. They had won. Double return. The onlookers were rejoicing for them or were amazed at her ability to predict the outcome. The rounded moustached man threw two gold pieces at the gambler and told his friend to continue. But now the young lady had decided to join. Both followed Chenlian's indications and bet when and where she told them to until she saw a coin sway. She advised them not to bet anymore: this round, they couldn't win. Indeed, the coins all fell on their black sides. The house takes all.

"It's a good thing we didn't bet in the end." The working man murmured.

"But what you bet in the beginning..."

"That's fine, don't worry about it. More importantly, tell me: how can you tell?" He asked her.

"I'd like to know too." The pretty lady said. Chenlian explained again that the dealer could control the first two coins with the third. Then she pointed at the other man.

"You can determine the outcome by looking at that man's hand when the third coin is thrown. When he grips the edge of his belt with his thumb on top, it's a 'shang', when his thumb is tucked inside his belt it's a 'shan', when his fist is against his hip it's a 'san' and when his fist his down the house takes all."

The bystanders, indignant, stopped bystanding and began railing.

"I know that to you this is just business. But everyone enjoys this game. Next time please set it up according to official rules." The red head stood up and began leaving but was stopped by the orchestrator of the scam who challenged her to a one-on-one face off. Because of her they couldn't come back here again so he wanted a contest without any tricks. He was going to throw the coins. If she won, he'd give back all the money he took. However he would give it all to her, as it was the customers' own fault for not noticing the trick and being so easily deceived. At this people lowered their heads. No matter how frustrated they were, they could not deny that part. But if he won, he would keep that hairpin she was wearing.

Only a sliver of emotion passed through her eyes before she closed them. She took her hairpin and griped it. It was made of coiled shining gold with a lotus flower. Nestled at its heart was a diamond of perfect purity, on each of the three small petals facing downward blue amber was ensconced, on the two outward petals, yellow ambers were installed, red ambers were on the two inner petals while a red diamond was set in the large middle one. Needless to say that this ornament was worth a lot more than just a pretty penny. But to Chenlian, the value of this hairpin did not lie in the money it was worth but in the memories attached to it. It was a combined gift from her swordsmanship master, Piandao, from her grandfather and firebending teacher, Jeong Jeong, as well as his long time friend Iroh, and her father, Zhong, her mother, Biyu, her grandmother, Lanya. She had received it after she had completed her swordsmanship training. It was always there to remind her of those she had loved and lost, to remind her of the happy and difficult times. It was her source of strength and comfort. She opened her eyes again and smiled. It had something of a derisive smile, or a smirk.

"To me this hairpin is worth a lot more than everything you could win in your entire life, but it's okay, I'll do it." The girl said again with confidence and determination.

"Let's go." The man threw the coins and both sat down face to face and placed their bet. He put his stacks of pieces on shang and she put her hair ornament on shan. People gathered behind the red-haired teen. But the two were intent on each other and on the coins. Soon the first two fell. One on black and one on white. The third one was still spinning. After a few long seconds, it hit a fallen one and landed too at last. Two whites, one black. Shan. It was Chenlian's victory. People rejoiced and put their arms around each other's shoulders or patted her on the back or ruffled her mahogany red hair. The middle-aged factory worker picked her up by the waist and sat her on his left shoulder like she was his all grown up little baby girl... his own daughter. They were practically strangers yet all, and especially he had accepted her in the group like it was natural. He was quite tall, and had large and well-defined muscles and a good face. But what the teen liked best about him was his open and jolly personality. Soon, they were all chatting and laughing happily. Apparently, the young girl had lost her family and was now travelling eastward to live with some friends for a while and was now at a loss of a place to stay. She would also like to work and earn a bit more. At this, the factory worker – Hongsu – offered that she stayed over at his place. He said it was as thanks for having saved his savings. His wife Shishu and their three children would be surely happy. Besides they had a friend and neighbour who owned a small restaurant... even though it was Shishu who managed everything.

And indeed, when they arrived, Chenlian understood the reason. Her new friend's wife might be small and roundish and nice, and have a very good temperament too, but SHE was obviously the head of the family. Always bustling about, her movements were sharp and precise and she had a keen eye. Below the excess weight caused by her recent pregnancy you could feel a certain underlying strength, both physical and mental. She controlled the house with firmness and flexibility, but until then, had never been able to do much about her husband's playing habits. They had three children, the eldest son, a daughter, and a tiny baby girl. The red haired teen was introduced to their friend Chunyan. She had lost her husband and brother in the war and yet did not sink into depression and managed the small restaurant with her two teen sons and Shishu's help. She had remained very bright and beautiful, for her own sake, for her friends' sake, and for her customers' sake. She was as strict as she was kind and considerate and as full of energy as her friend. Chenlian was to help serving customers during the day and play the pipa the evening. As a musician, she would be paid to the song and when she would work as a waitress she would be paid by the hour. The customers also had the right to give money if they wanted to. She was going to stay awhile longer and repay these people for their kindness. Even if she could not even tell them her real name...

It was the middle of the night. Chenlian changed and packed. It pained her to leave this family like this. She would have preferred to do things correctly and not sneak away like a thief, but it was better for everyone if she did. Otherwise, she might not have had the heart. These last days had been so much fun. She did not want to leave them: Hongsu, Shishu, the little ones, and even her boss, Chunyan. They had opened their door and their heart to her, a complete stranger, without asking for anything. They had offered her a job at their friend's place without knowing if she could be trusted or not. How long had it been since she had last been shown such trust and kindness? How would they react if they knew the truth about her? Would they sell her to the authorities as it had already happened more than once? Or would they help her out? She was too scared of the answer and did not want to ruin her memories of these people with such assumptions. Not only would it be a waste of time but also trouble for everyone. Her chest painfully tight, she wrote a letter, thanking them for their kindness and sincerely apologising for leaving like this. She would never forget them and hoped to meet them again another day. They might not feel well about accepting it but she at least wanted to leave them a token of her gratitude. And money was the only thing she could think of to repay them. She hated pretending and deceiving people. And she hated doubting people. But it was not like she had a choice. She could not afford any slip up now when she had barely left that cell. It had been really, really fun with them. But it was time to go. It was with a slightly heavy heart that after making sure she had not forgotten anything, she flew away in the darkness toward Avatar Roku's Island. No matter what she was to leave behind, she would not look back until she reached her goal.

The sun rose over a lake. On the shore, a small fire was smoking. Appa was standing and grazing, while Aang tied the reins to his horns and Katara busied herself on the saddle. Sokka was still snoring peacefully on the ground in a Water Tribe sleeping bag. The Avatar was talking up the beauty of the Air Temple. He sounded very excited. And the girl, while she did not have the heart to completely dampen his enthusiasm, still thought it wiser to try and caution him. She warned him that a lot could change in a hundred years. The airbender replied that it was why he was so excited, but that was because unlike the two Water Tribe members, he had no idea what was really waiting for him. Aang then tried to wake Sokka up but without much success. So with a mischievous grin, he thought up a more effective way. He picked up a stick and ran it up and down the sleeping bag.

"Sokka! Wake up! There's a prickle snake in your sleeping bag!"

"Aaahhh! Get it off! Get it off! Aaahhh!" The brave warrior screamed, startled. He hopped around in his sleeping bag until he lost his balance and fell flat on his face. Katara laughed at him, much to her brother's irritation.

"Great! You're awake. Let's go!" Aang said, poking his head out from behind him.

In a Fire Nation naval base, tents and buildings were lined up on the ground while ships lined the dock. And among them was Zuko's damaged ship. It was the smallest vessel here. The prow of Zuko's ship has been opened, its spout lying on the floor of the naval yard. Zuko and Iroh walked down and entered the yard. The prince wanted the repairs made as quickly as possible. He did not want to stay too long and risk losing his trail.

"You mean the Avatar?"

"Don't mention his name on these docks!" The teen angrily turned to his uncle. "Once word gets out that he's alive every firebender will be out looking for him and I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what, Prince Zuko?" A male voice asked. The two turned around with somewhat surprised expressions. The man approached them, his hands authoritatively clasped behind his back. He looked in his forties, of a muscular built, with a wide forehead and strong jaws, his oval face appearing square because of the way his beard and sideburns were cut, which was kind of reminding of a monkey.

"Captain Zhao." Zuko greeted with obvious distaste and reserve, his arms crossed.

"It's Commander now." The man corrected him. "And General Iroh-" He bowed to the older man. "...Great hero of our nation."

"_Retired_ general." Iroh rectified him.

"The Fire Lord's brother and son are welcome guests any time. What brings you to my harbor?"

"Our ship is being repaired." The retired general gestured at the heavily damaged bow of his nephew's ship.

"That's quite a bit of damage." The commander noted.

"Yes... you wouldn't believe what happened." Zuko said, giving his uncle a sideways glance and immediately passing the buck. "Uncle! Tell Commander Zhao what happened." He ordered. Iroh's eyes widened and he blinked in response to the burden his kin had just placed on him.

"Yes, I will do that. It was... incredible." He leant over and whispered to Zuko. "What... did we crash or something?"

"Uh, yes! Right into an Earth Kingdom ship." The prince replied, as uncomfortable as his relative.

"Really? You must regale me with all the thrilling details." Zhao smiled and put his face right up to Zuko's in an obvious challenge. He had evidently sensed they were hiding something. "Join me for a drink?" He offered in an attempt to make them stay.

"Sorry, but we have to go." Zuko refused. He turned to leave, but Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.

"Prince Zuko, show Commander Zhao your respect." He then looked at Zhao. "We would be honored to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favorite." The plump old man walked toward the tents, soon followed by a smiling commander. Zuko who had not moved from his place growled in frustration and angrily released fire from his fists to the ground as he went after the two men.

On Appa's back, Aang and Katara were sitting up front while Sokka was in the passenger saddle digging for some food after his stomach had noisily asked for it. He searched a bag and dumped it out onto his glove. Only a few crumbs fell.

"Hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?"

"Oh, that was food? I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry." Aang smiled apologetically.

"You WHAT?! Awww, no wonder the flames smelled so good."

Then, as they entered the Patola mountain range, Katara uneasily tried to warn the boy about what he might see. The Fire Nation was ruthless. They had killed her mother, they could have done the same to the airbenders. After a flash of doubt, Aang's face relaxed into hopeful optimism: Just because no one had seen an airbender didn't mean the Fire Nation had killed them all, right? They had probably escaped.

"I know it's hard to accept." The waterbender attempted again to gently wake him from his denial.

"You don't understand, Katara. The only way to get to an airbender temple is on a flying bison, and I doubt the Fire Nation has any flying bison. Right, Appa?" The Avatar rubbed the big animal's head. Appa agreed with a grunt. After a time, they flew over a tree-topped rocky outcropping and at last, the tall and beautiful spires of the Southern Air Temple stood before them.

"Aang, it's amazing!" Katara exclaimed, taken by the sheer beauty of the scene.

"We're home, buddy, we're home." The airbender told Appa with a nostalgic air about him.

In the same time, Chenlian landed on a new island. It was late afternoon. She had arrived in Fire Fountain City the sixth day after her escape. It was now the ninth day. She put down her luggage on the spot. It did not matter. She was the only human on the whole island. She quickly heated her buns stuffed with meat and vegetables with her firebending and ate them before savouring a slice of fruit tart and an apple. On the way she had snacked on sizzle crisps and fruits. Then the girl looked around. Like most islands in the Fire Nation, it was a volcanic island. Last time it had erupted was a hundred and twelve years ago. And if most people had been saved at that time, it was only thanks to Avatar Roku and his dragon, Fang, who had sacrificed themselves to protect them while they faced alone the fury of Mother Earth. It must have been a beautiful island for him to live there with his wife, as well as hundreds of other people, whose village was now buried forever under the black rock. Now it was just a wasteland of solidified lava... or was it? The firebender stood up, walked away, and crouched down. Just there, a tiny plant was growing. It had just a few leaves but it was definitely there, growing.

**"That's right, over a hundred years has passed..."**

"Time heals wounds, and life goes on..."

**"As long as given the chance..."**

"The new generation may do better than the last."

Then their attention focused on the top the biggest volcano.

**"That is where they died."**

"Then let us go too."

And they began their ascension of the fire mountain. With each step, feeling the solid black river, and imagining what was buried underneath, what had happened that fateful day a hundred and twelve years ago, when an Avatar died, his own body as well as his dragon's buried under the lava flow, and a new Avatar was born in the next nation. That was the cycle of life.

On the coast of the Southwest Earth Kingdom, in a certain Fire Navy outpost, the commander Zhao, who had invited the Fire Lord's son and older brother in his tent for tea, was explaining the Fire Nation's plan for victory.

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool." Zuko voiced his doubts vehemently. Zhao sat in the chair next to him.

"Two years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." The man commented, referring to the reason why his interlocutor had had to undertake that foolish search in the first place. "So, how is your search for the Avatar going?" He added after a pause. Iroh who had been examining a stand of weapons tipped it over, making it fall noisily. The commotion brought the conversation to a halt. The old man cringed at the mess he had just made.

"My fault entirely." He apologised, embarrassed before sheepishly backing away under the commander's watch. As to whether it had been done purposefully or accidentally...

"We haven't found him yet." The teenager answered firmly.

"Did you really expect to? The Avatar died a hundred years ago...along with the rest of the airbenders." The commander said. Zuko averted his eyes guiltily. Noticing it, Zhao's expression changed from serious, almost condescending, to blatantly eager. He was smirking. "Unless... you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive..."

"No. Nothing." The prince replied, still looking away. Zhao rose from his chair.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left," He leant toward Zuko. "You'll tell me what you've found."

"I haven't found anything. It's like you said. The Avatar probably died a long time ago. Come on, Uncle, we're going." The young man looked at him defiantly before standing and trying to leave. However, he was blocked by the guards who crossed their spears in front of him. Another guard approached his commander to deliver his report. They had interrogated the crew as per his instructions and confirmed the Prince Zuko had had the Avatar in custody but let him escape.

"Now, remind me... how exactly was your ship damaged?" Zhao asked again, smirking with obvious delight as he came up behind Zuko and slightly leant his face toward him. The prince closed his eyes and hung his head in defeat.

Appa was left alone on a platform at the foot of the temple while Sokka and Katara walked up the long winding path leading to the edifices, Aang racing ahead of them. The Water Tribe warrior was clutching his hungry stomach, looking cross, and asking where he could get something to eat.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple and all you can think about is food?" Katara asked, incredulous.

"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Her brother answered simply.

Farther ahead, Aang stopped at the edge of the path to let his friends catch up. Then he pointed at a natural platform below them. A roughly rectangular - approximately seventy feet long and forty feet wide - and dense thicket consisting of wooden poles of varying heights was standing there, and a goal with a backboard was occupying either end of the field. There were over one hundred and twenty unevenly spaced poles, ranging from about fifteen feet to twenty-five feet but all retaining the same width (around two feet). The boy told them that was where he and his friends used to play airball. He then pointed at another place and told them that would be where the bison would sleep. When he sighed heavily, the waterbender asked him what was wrong.

"This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how much things have changed." Aang said. His back looked so sad and lonely that after a quick glance at each other, the siblings changed the subject.

"So, uh, this airball game? How do you play?" Sokka asked. Aang smiled.

A few minutes later, Sokka was standing on one of the truncated trunks, looking ready for action, with a backboard behind him. Before the opposite backboard, the airbender was rapidly spinning the ball above his hand. They appeared to be made out of hollow, lightweight wood, with the sides slotted for minimum air resistance and maximum elasticity. Players had to use their airbending to get the ball moving, making it spin in order to provide it momentum. Aang played with it a little, and then threw it up in the air over his head. Sokka followed it with his eyes. The Avatar put his hands behind his back, closed his eyes and smiled, waiting for the ball to come back down. He cracked one eye open and with a kick bended the air at the precise moment to send the ball bouncing through the field of sticks like a pinball. He was obviously showing off his dexterity... as it was the siblings' aim, knowing it would cheer him up. Sokka watched the ball ricochet toward him at amazing speed and it hit him in the stomach, propelling him backward through a rotating door in the backboard behind him. He fell in a pile of snow and branches at the foot of the embankment.

"Hahaha! Aang seven, Sokka zero!" The young boy laughed, showing the score with his hands.

"Making him feel better is putting me in a world of hurt." Sokka groaned, trying to get up, when he saw something that made him freeze for a second. It was a Fire soldier helmet lying on the ground. He crawled over to it and showed it to his sister. They called Aang who came with such a happy expression on his youthful face, but at the last moment, and after much hesitation, the girl decided against it and bended the snow to cover both her brother and the mask, saying she just wanted to show him her new waterbending move. The little one liked it, but there was a whole temple to see. They went on.

At the entrance gate of the Air Temple itself, Aang ran in alone, as usual, leaving the siblings alone for a moment. Sokka was warning his sister: she could not protect him forever and could not deny that firebenders had been here. But she replied firmly that she could for Aang's sake. If he found out the Fire Nation had invaded his home, he'd be devastated. The Avatar called them to show them the statue of an old airbender monk, and introduced him as Monk Gyatso, the greatest airbender in the world, who had taught him everything he knew. He bowed to the statue, lost in his memories.

Gyatso was using a long spatula to pull out a fruit cake from a large oven before airbending the purple fruit mince filling in the centre, teaching Aang his 'ancient cake making technique'. He was dressed in Buddhist robes and a necklace made of large beads, and a wood circle on which the three swirls, symbol of the air nomads. But the boy sitting on the wall was not paying attention, preoccupied as he was by the whole Avatar thing. He believed the monks had made a mistake.

"The only mistake they made was telling you before you turned sixteen. But we can't concern ourselves with what _was_. We must act on what _is_." The elder gestured ceremoniously to the world around them, full of flying bison and other inhabitants. The beautiful, dreamlike surroundings were full of life.

"But Gyatso, how do I know if I'm ready for this?" Aang questioned, still unsure.

"Your questions will be answered when you are old enough to enter the Air Temple sanctuary. Inside you will meet someone who will guide you on your journey."

"Who is it!?" The boy asked excitedly, turning to face the old monk.

"When you are ready he will reveal himself to you." Gyatso answered mysteriously. Aang sighed heavily in frustration. "Now, are you going to help me with these cakes, or not?"

"All right." The young one smiled mischievously. Aang and Gyatso assumed airbending stances, with the four cakes sitting on the wall. They created balls of wind with their airbending skills and released them on the count of three, propelling the cakes high into the air. They landed on four meditating monks, who were soon each wearing one of the four cakes and were instantly surrounded by winged lemurs that began feasting on the splattered cakes. The two pranksters laughed heartily before bowing respectfully to each other. Gyatso patted his young student's head affectionately.

"Your aim has improved greatly my young pupil."

Aang was still bowing to the statue of Gyatso, just as he had bowed to the real Gyatso a hundred years ago. Katara tried to comfort him but then he just moved onward.

"Where are you going?" She asked him.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet." The Avatar answered resolutely while climbing the steps.


	5. Rising

**Fight 05: Rising**

Aang was still bowing to the statue of Gyatso, just as he had bowed to the real Gyatso a hundred years ago. Katara tried to comfort him but then he just moved onward.

"Where are you going?" She asked him.

"The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet." The Avatar answered resolutely while climbing the steps. The siblings looked at each other, shrugged, and followed their friend. The three arrived at the entrance of the Air Temple Sanctuary. It was a huge and massive wooden door dominated by an enormous woodcut comprising three air symbols protruding from its surface and arranged in a triangular pattern. The symbols were attached to tubes that ended in two horns near the bottom of the woodcut. Katara tried to warn the boy that no one could survive in there for a hundred years. To what Aang replied optimistically that it was not impossible: he _had_ survived in an iceberg for that long. The girl agreed it was a good point. But both had forgotten one crucial fact. There was only one Avatar. He had certainly survived by entering a state of controlled hypothermia.

"Katara, whoever's in there might help me figure out this Avatar thing!" Aang insisted, ecstatic.

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious, cured meats!" Sokka popped out from behind the 112-years-old boy, eagerly rubbing his hands in fevered anticipation. He rushed forward and crashed against the door with a 'thunk'. He pushed at it and gave up after a few seconds, slumping down, and asking Aang whether he had the key. The Avatar answered that the key was airbending. He raised both his arms perpendicular to his body, and suddenly pushed forward with his arms, stepping forward with his right leg. He airbended two jets of air, one from each arm, into the horns at the bottom of the woodcut. The air ran through the tubes and one by one flipped the air symbols from the blue sides which had been showing to the maroon sides, which had been facing the interior of the temple, blowing a different music note as it gushed from the spirals. As each turned, it flipped another mechanism on the outside of the door, unlocking it. The door opened to reveal the dark, cavernous interior of the Air Temple Sanctuary.

"Hello? Anyone home?" The airbender called hopefully as the three walked into the dark room.

In the tent of the Fire Navy outpost, Commander Zhao was pacing in front of a rather cross-looking young prince.

"So, a twelve-year-old boy bested you and your firebenders? You're more pathetic than I thought." Zhao chastised; a mocking edge to his tone.

"I underestimated him once, but it will not happen again." Zuko justified himself vehemently. He was sitting on a chair. And two guards were standing behind him.

"No, it will not, because you won't have a second chance."

"Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for two years and I..." The prince began, alarmed, before being cut off by the commander who turned to him angrily, flames erupting from his hand as he swept it in an arc.

"And you failed!" He approached Zuko, towering above him. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a teenager's hands. He's mine now."

The teen launched himself at Zhao in frustration and anger, only to be restrained by the two guards who had been standing behind his chair.

"Keep them here." The man ordered while turning to leave. Zuko in a further act of frustration kicked over a small table on which a tea pot had been sitting. Everything broke to pieces.

"More tea please?" Iroh requested, tea cup in hand. He had been sitting and watching calmly and silently the whole time.

As Aang, Sokka, and Katara walked into the sanctuary, light flooded from outside to reveal many statues arrayed in a pattern following a swirl on the ground, quite similar to a snail shell. Alcoves had been built in the walls up to the peak of the tower to host the statues. The three headed to the center of the room. Sokka complained about the absence of meat but no one heeded him. After a time, Aang and Katara noticed that all the statues were lined up in the Avatar cycle: first air, then water, earth, and fire. All these people were Avatars, and Aang's past lives. It was thus no wonder that the airbender somehow felt like he knew them. He marvelled at the sheer number of statues.

"Past lives? Katara, you really believe in that stuff?" Sokka asked sceptically.

"It's true. When the Avatar dies he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle." His sister answered. Aang stopped in front of the statue of a firebender Avatar. Suddenly a light seemed to pass over its eyes. Katara appeared behind Aang and shook him by the shoulders.

"Aang, snap out of it!"

"Huh?" The child replied, dazed.

"Who is that?"

"That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me."

"You were a firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met." Sokka said, joining them.

"There's no writing. How do you know his name?" Katara wondered.

"I'm not sure... I just know it somehow." Aang answered the best he could.

"You just couldn't get any weirder!" The water tribesman growled in frustration.

Suddenly, the three sensed the presence of another being and turned to look at the entrance. A long-eared shadow was advancing toward them. They hid, huddled behind two of the statues, Aang and Katara behind one and Sokka behind another. The shadow advanced between the two statues.

"Firebender. Nobody make a sound." The warrior whispered to his frightened companions.

"You're making a sound!" The sister whispered back, exasperated.

"Shhhh!" Aang and Sokka said in the same time. The shadow was still advancing.

"That firebender won't know what hit 'em." The warrior whispered again, his club in hand. Then he jumped out from the statue, ready for the strike, and froze in sheer surprise. The other two also came around to look. Everyone blinked, registering the diminutive stature of the adorable intruder. It was a winged lemur looking at them with wide green eyes. His long ears flopped down on his back and he shrunk down as he saw the people staring at him, especially that menacing entity. It had only seemed big because of the angle of the setting sun projecting its shadow.

"Lemur!" Aang exclaimed happily.

"Dinner..." Sokka's mouth was watering. The black and white furred animal tilted its head in a cute clueless way.

"Don't listen to him! You're going to be my new pet." The airbender glared sideways at the other male.

"Not if I get him first!" The hunter contradicted him. And both lunged at the small animal, their arms outstretched. The lemur bristled like a cat and dashed away. The two boys ran after it in a frantic race, having no qualms using their weapons or bending abilities to impede the other. And still, Aang was grinning ear to ear.

The lemur jumped up onto the guardrail of a balcony, looked back at a fast approaching Aang, and then leapt again and flew away and down the steep cliff on which the balcony had been built. The Avatar jumped after him, laughing as he bounced off the rocks beneath him during his long fall to chase the lemur. Sokka, who had finally reached the balcony, leant over it to watch his friend's controlled fall and complained about the unfairness of the race. He was not a bender.

Zhao entered the tent where Iroh and Zuko were kept to inform them that his search party was ready and that once he was out to sea, his guards would escort them back to their ship and they would be free to go.

"Why? Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?" The prince taunted.

"You? Stop me? Impossible." The commander snorted derisively.

"Don't underestimate me, Zhao. I _will_ capture the Avatar _before_ you." Zuko stood up in defiance.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough!" Iroh tried to stop him, standing up also.

"You can't compete with me. I have hundreds of warships under my command, and you... you're just a banished prince. No home. No allies. Your own father doesn't even want you." Zhao spat venomously.

"You're wrong. Once I deliver the Avatar to my father he will welcome me home with honor and restore my rightful place on the throne."

"If your father really wanted you home, he'd have let you return by now, Avatar or no Avatar, but in his eyes you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation."

"That's not true."

"You have the scar to prove it."

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" With a cry of indignation, Zuko launched himself to his feet, bringing his face within inches of Zhao's.

"Is that a challenge?"

"An _agni kai_. At sunset." An _agni kai, _a duel between two firebenders, and a popular method of resolving conflicts. Its outcome affected the honor of both opponents. The teenager had regained his calm and confidence.

"Very well. It's a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle will do." Zhao replied condescendingly before walking back out of the tent.

"Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you dueled a master?" Iroh asked his nephew.

"I will never forget." Zuko answered. As long as he had this scar on his left eye, he could never forget.

In the Southern Air Temple, a lemur landed on a stone clearing. Aang landed three seconds later and leapt like a frog to catch the animal that ran to the side beyond a decaying drapery of sort. The airbender followed it in the crumbling building and cooed. He approached and parted another drape. He walked through and drew a sharp breath, startled. There, right in front of him, the floor was covered with heaps of skeletons in firebender uniforms, half buried in the snow.

"Firebenders? They were here?" He whispered, surprised, his heart filling with dread. At the back of the room, in a heap of snow, bathed in sunlight coming from above, were lying the skeletal remains of an airbender monk. He had apparently fallen in combat while fighting against great odds. Then, Aang noticed the necklace resting on the corpse's chest. A necklace made of large beads, and a wood circle on which were carved three swirls, symbol of the air nomads...

"Gyatso..." The child murmured. He fell to his knees, devastated. Sokka arrived, pulling back the curtain.

"Hey Aang, you find my dinner yet?" He teased, still in the game, before he saw Aang, his head in his hands, crying. "Aang, I wasn't really going to eat the lemur, okay?" Then he remarked the skeleton. "Oh, man... come on, Aang, everything will be all right. Let's get out of here." He said reassuringly, but as he was going to put his hand on his friend's shoulder, the arrow on the airbender's head began to glow an incandescent blue. He lifted his head and his eyes were glowing brightly in an angry expression. Sokka gasped as he looks in alarm.

In the Temple Sanctuary, Katara saw Roku's eyes light up with the same incandescent blue light as Aang's before the eyes of all the other statues light up in order around the room. Worried, she cried out Aang's name and raced out of the room.

On Roku's Island, Chenlian was sitting lotus style at the top of the volcano. As soon as she had arrived, she had started meditating over an hour ago. No emotion, nothing could be shown on her beautiful face. Nothing but a trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth... Her head suddenly fell forward against her chest. Continuous and extremely careful control of her firebending in order to fly such long distances... even with Guang's help, of course she would grow tired and fall asleep! Especially after a nice meal...

When suddenly, the spirit felt that huge power fuelled by unbelievable rage and sorrow, and, overcome himself by that surge of sheer power, shattered all the barriers in that girl's mind and broke loose. Chenlian was unable to hold back the outburst. Her blood boiling in her veins like the sulphuric acid of a volcano lake, red marking covered her whole body that was raked with excruciating pain like she was literally going to split open. But coupled with that physical pain was an intense emotional pain. And Guang was only a relay point. But if they only felt a dull echo of it, then just how powerful was the source?! Just how much suffering was it in?! Something flashed in her crumbling mind, it was the image of a boy, no older than twelve, in a dark swirling sphere or air and energy. He was bald, and dressed like airbender monks were over a hundred years ago. And the arrow tattoos on his head and arms were glowing an intense blue, almost white. She had a second vision of an air temple, surrounded by mountains, lit by the sun, and the smiles of all the young and old monks, and all those bison flying around. A name appeared, now forever etched onto her memory.

"AANG!"

The vision blurred and faded, tears of pain and sorrow flowed down her cheeks. Her head shot upward, her eyes glowing a golden light, a colossal pillar of fire burst forth from her mouth to the sky in a blood-curdling, heart-wrenching roar. The multicoloured flames twirled around above her to vanish into the blood and gold of the sunset. And the minutes strung out... The Avatar... The Avatar...

In Earth, Water, and Fire temples scattered across the world, lights also flashed in response to the awakening of Aang's Avatar spirit. In the Fire Temple, an old fire sage warned another to send word to the Fire Lord immediately. The Avatar had returned!

Back in the dilapidated building at the base of the Air Temple, a whirlwind began to form at Aang's feet. It spread out, swirling fast around the bones lying on the ground. Aang was still crouched, his hands balled into fists and his eyes and arrow glowing. The wind was picking up terrible speed around him. Sokka yelled at him to snap out of it but it was no use. A light blue sphere of energy surrounded the last Airbender and started to expand, knocking Sokka back out of the building. It expanded to the point where it blew most of the building apart, sending smoke and debris high into the air. The water tribesman landed outside where his sister joined him behind some rubble, both shielding their faces from the wind. The girl asked what had happened so her brother told her. He had found out that firebenders had killed Gyatso.

"Oh no, it's his avatar spirit! He must have triggered it! I'm gonna try and calm him down." Katara walked forward with difficulty.

"Well, do it before he blows us off the mountain!" Sokka shouted back, hanging onto the rubble, trying not to get blown away. Katara slowly approached Aang, struggling against the wind, as her important friend and his energy sphere slowly rose into the air.

In the Fire Navy Base, the arena for the agni kai was a rectangular stone structure, relatively tall, with very thick walls. Watch fires had been lit on the four towers at each corner. There were two large open gates, one at each end, for the contestants to enter. And two Fire Nation flags were flapping in the wind at the top of each gate. The sunset was a glorious mixture of red, orange, and yellow, reminding of the Fire Nation's hues. Inside the arena, Zhao and Zuko were kneeling at each end, their backs turned, preparing for battle, Zhao with four of his men in attendance, and Zuko with his uncle. As in all formal Fire Duel between males, they were both barefoot and bare-chested, with a traditional shoulder garment, golden arm circlets had been fastened just below their shoulders.

"Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." Iroh advised his nephew.

"I refuse to let him win." The teenager stood up and turned around, his shoulder wrap falling ceremoniously to the ground. Zhao stood up and turned as well and his shoulder garment fell.

"This will be over quickly." The commander said, obviously thinking very little of his opponent. Atop the gate a gong sounded. Both men assumed firebending stances. They glared at each other. Prince Zuko initiated the combat and fired the first shot which passed harmlessly to Zhao's left. He fired again; this time it passes without effect to Zhao's right. Zuko fired several more, all easily dodged except for the last that was just as easily blocked. Satisfaction was evident on the commander's face, while on the contrary, the prince was losing his presence of mind and his breath in anger and frustration. Zuko moved forward towards his opponent, unleashing more fire from his feet. When he aimed at Zhao's legs, the latter stepped up, crouched forward and shot flames from his joined fingertips at the ground close in front of him, splitting Zuko's flames in two. Iroh, who was watching anxiously, yelled at his nephew to remember his basics and break his enemy's root. Indeed, even though the prince had been the only one attacking until now, it was obviously the commander who had the upper hand. But now it was that commander's turn to attack.

Zhao fired many volleys of flame, alternating between his fists, and thus kept advancing. The teenager managed to block them all, but he was being forced back. At last, on the last volley the older man knocked Zuko over, sending him skidding backwards in the ground. The commander jumped at him and lands at Zuko's feet, just as the boy was trying to get up. Zhao fired right at him but Zuko rolled out of the way just in time, and swept Zhao's feet out from under him. The boy landed on his feet, smirking. He had regained his calm and confidence as well as his footing. The prince was now the one advancing towards Zhao, using his feet to produce small waves of flame that rushed toward his opponent. The man, caught off balance, was slowly wobbling slowly backward. Iroh, fists clenched in an expression of hope, was starting to smile seeing his protégé so focused and forcing his opponent backward. Zuko finally knocked Zhao out flat on the ground with a blast of fire. He rushed up to him, prepared to deal the final blow. But he was hesitating. Kill the enemy or let him live. It was a difficult decision for him.

"Do it!" Zhao challenged. The young prince released a blast before dropping his fighting stance. It had hit the ground next to the commander's head, leaving a smoking and blackened hole.

"That's it? Your father raised a coward." To Zhao, being pitied by the child he looked down upon so much was a horrible black taint on his honor.

"Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back." Zuko turned his back and begins to walk away. The fallen commander got up and unleashed a whip of flame at Zuko with his foot. A hand stopped the dishonourable attack and closed over the outstretched foot. The two men remained frozen for a moment before Iroh hurled Zhao back into the dirt with little effort. With a howl of rage, Zuko rushed to avenge the insult, but was stopped by his uncle.

"No, Prince Zuko. Do not taint your victory." Then Iroh turned to face Zhao, a contemptuous look on his face. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat... Disgraceful. Even in exile my nephew is more honorable than you." Zuko looked at his uncle in surprise at this comment. "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious." The former general said again. The content was certainly sincere, but there was a hint of sarcasm in his politeness. Iroh left, his nephew following close behind. With subdued anger, Zhao watches them exit the gate of the arena.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko quietly asked his kin.

"Of course. I told you ginseng tea is my favorite." Iroh was no doubt being sincere again but he was also being sly, purposefully avoiding saying what the exiled prince really wanted to hear. Iroh and Zuko left the arena and walked back to the ships.

Aang was still suspended in mid-air inside his ball of raw energy. The contained storm continued to rage as Katara and Sokka desperately clung to the rocks, just like the stormy pillar of fire was still raging on Roku's Island.

"Aang, I know you're upset..." Katara shouted, her tone still calm. She wanted herself reassuring. "... and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I went through the same thing when I lost my mom. Monk Gyatso and the other airbenders may be gone, but you still have a family."

_Family..._

A hairpin shining in the sun. A beautiful hairpin of coiled shining gold with a lotus flower. Nestled at its heart was a diamond of perfect purity, on each of the three small petals facing downward blue amber was ensconced, on the two outward petals, yellow ambers were installed, red ambers were on the two inner petals while a red diamond was set in the large middle one, and ornamenting warm mahogany red hair blowing in the wind. The pretty girl with warm amber eyes seemed to be dancing... or training... and moving in accordance with her movements was the ghostly form of a golden dragon. They were dancing in a circle, one on each side. It was really bright and beautiful and heart-warming, like the sun shining again after an eclipse. She was smiling. But no matter how pleasant she might look, there was something sorrowful about her. She had also lost something that was very precious to her. They joined up, and the dragon disappeared into her body at chest level. She put her hands on her chest where the dragon had disappeared and closed her eyes. The boy was snapped back to reality by Katara's voice.

"Sokka and I, we're your family now." The waterbender said, desperately trying to convince her friend of the sincerity of their feelings and save him from himself. And it did reach him. Aang started to descend, his feet gently alight on the ground. The wind died away. His eyes and arrow still glowing. Katara and Sokka came up on either side of him.

"Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise." The warrior comforted him, gently. Katara took one of Aang's hands in her own. The glow instantly faded from his eyes and arrow markings. Grief-stricken and exhausted, the airbender collapsed into the girl's arms and she held him around his shoulders as they knelt on the ground.

On Roku's Island, the pillar of flames receded at last before completely dissipating. The markings and glow were receding too. Then, she fell, as if her body had been held by strings that had just been cut. Her fall was stopped in midair, her markings had reappeared. This body belonged to Chenlian, and usually the most they would do was share consciousness. But this time, because of the Avatar's awakening, he had been overcome, and he had involuntarily unleashed all his power, overcoming his host and taking control of her body. Although she would not show it, and would try to hide it even to herself and to him, he knew because they were so strongly linked: after almost three years without moving a single limb, she was very exhausted, and it was extremely difficult and strenuous for her to keep that level of firebending for going from island to island. Their relationship was based on their absolute trust in each other and control of themselves. And now he had pushed her body over its limit. Even if she were to rest for a few days at each island, the fatigue would accumulate and it would certainly take a certain time for her to completely recover and get used to constant physical effort again. However, staying here would be dangerous. And when she was going to wake up, she was going force herself to endure again and fly immediately to the next island. But now she needed to recuperate, even if it was just for a little time. Using their firebending with minimal effect on her body, Guang brought his fainted host back at the campfire where she was laid to rest.

**"Forgive me."** And he let her sleep at last.

"I'm sorry." Aang apologised despite how tired he was.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault." Katara reassured him in a comforting manner.

"But you were right. And if firebenders found this temple that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last airbender." The boy said sadly, closing his eyes. Katara held him tighter and Sokka put a hand on his shoulder. Some time later, Aang was standing once again in front of the statue of Avatar Roku. Katara came up behind him.

"Everything's packed. You ready to go?" The girl inquired.

"How is Roku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang asked, still looking at the statue.

"Maybe you'll find a way." She reassured him.

"You know... I had a vision while I was in the Avatar state."

"A vision?"

"Yes. There was a girl with red hair, and the spirit of a dragon was with her. They seemed to be training, or dancing maybe... it was really beautiful and warm, but it felt like they were kind of sad too. I wonder if it means she can help me too."

"Maybe. I'm sure you'll find your answers in time. But whatever happens we'll be there for you." The waterbender put a comforting hand on his shoulder. They both turned around to see a familiar furry creature in the doorway of the temple. The lemur had returned. It ran to its right where Sokka was and deposited a bunch of fruits and nuts at his feet. Sokka began to wolf down the food. The lemur dashed away. Aang and Katara watched with smiles on their faces.

"Looks like you made a new friend, Sokka." The young Avatar said.

"Can't talk. Must eat." His male friend replied through a full mouth.

"Hey little guy." Aang greeted the lemur as it scurried up his chest to perch on his head.

They all joined Appa on the platform at the foot of the abandoned temple that had once been their home. The sky graded from a light and luminous pink to a deep indigo.

"You, me, and Appa. We're all that's left of this place. We have to stick together." Aang said with grave nostalgia, the lemur on his right shoulder and his left hand on Appa's cheek. "Katara, Sokka... say hello to the newest member of our family..." He approached them both, with the small animal on his hand. Sokka was still eating a peach.

"What are you going to name him?" Katara asked curiously. The lemur jumped off Aang's shoulder and returned a second later with the fruit.

"Momo." The airbender answered naturally. Sokka was still poised to bite the fruit that was no longer in his hand. The shock at having literally the bread (or in this case the fruit) been taken away from his mouth seemed to have been too great for him. Aang and Katara began to laugh.

For Aang's sake, Sokka was the one leading Appa as they flew away from the Southern Air Temple. The sky was now an even darker indigo. The night had almost completely fallen. Aang watched the temple recede in the distance as Appa flew them away. He looked back with sadness as the clouds finally obscured his childhood home from view.

* * *

**Author's note: sorry for the delay, due to work I was too tired yesterday and I forgot about it.**


	6. Temporary happiness

**Fight****06: Temporary happiness**

Food. Meat. Fish. Vegetables. Fruit. Ash bananas. Ash bananas. Ash bananas. Wares, toys, clothes, fabric, instruments, jewellery, flowers... People. Sellers and customers. People chatting. People laughing. People being worried. People meeting and parting. And children running about, playing, having fun, or buying or selling instead of their parents or under their more or less careful watch. Markets were always so lively. And bag in hand, Chenlian was walking around, trying to enjoy her tenth day of freedom. She had bought a few things already. Tonight, she wanted to camp out. She had already camped out on Roku's island just before coming here. After the 'incident' she had slept for hours and then ate and left immediately before sunrise, and still a little shaken, she wanted to avoid staying too long with people. Here, there were barely rumours of the war. It seemed like a faraway thing, merely a subject of gossip, with no idea of the pain that was being inflicted on others. Everything seemed so peaceful. Peaceful...

"Thiiiieeeeeeeeves!"

Chenlian sharply turned around. Who said it was peaceful?! A man was running toward her direction and alerted by the noise, another dashed off in the opposite direction. That person was soon engaged by three youths looking about twelve, a girl and a boy. The second criminal was also chased by a boy and girl the same age and face as the two others. She was going to intervene but stopped and watched intently. They might be kids but they seemed to have a minimum of fighting experience. And they had plenty of guts and a good heart. Apparently there would be no need for her to make herself known. People were calling names, surely the children's, probably their family if they were around too. One of the thieves had already been immobilised but it was not going so well with the other. Indeed the bandit had managed to throw the boy off and a dagger was descending on the girl's neck. Instinctively, she took something from her bag and threw it hard and fast. It hit the wrist, a cry was heard, and the blade fell harmlessly on the ground with a clang. It was enough. The man was soon defeated as other people came to help. The wrongdoers were taken away by the authorities. She hid amongst the crowd. The incident was over. She was just glad everything ended without problems. Chenlian turned back and went back to her shopping. She had already forgotten about it when she felt two arms around her shoulders, startling her.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" It was a young man in his mid-twenties who had spoken.

"Here, you forgot this. But there's a bump now." Another one, apparently around sixteen, put the very apple she had thrown back into her hand.

_I was seen?! No way... but..._

"Food is important, but you saved our young ones, we want to thank you properly and apologise for making you waste such a delicious-looking apple."

"That's right, don't be so cold and come over. I'm sure everyone will be more than happy."

"You've got time, right? Come on."

And Chenlian, without the time and chance to utter a single word, completely caught up by their pace (which was about as rare as a firebender caught bending water), was taken to meet the whole family where she was introduced to its twenty-two members (the twenty-third and twenty-fourth being still in their mothers' wombs). They had all come to the market as a family outing to sell the products from their plantation as well as buy everything they could need and just chatting with people and doing some negotiations. There were the father's grandmother Shian, the mother's grandfather Mujun, the father Chengan, the mother Mingjia, their ten children: the oldest son Changan (27), the oldest daughter Meian (24), the second son Rongan (22), the second daughter Nuan (18), the third son Ruan (16), and the twelve-year-old quadruplets: the three girls Yian, and Jian, and the two boys Yuan and Huan. Changan was married to Yinye, and they had three children: their eldest son Chaojin (6) and their twin little girls Lihua and Minhua (4). Meian was married to Taisu with whom she had a son Weizhi (2). And Rongan had married Lingli and fathered a now one-year-old daughter Mingfen. Both Meian and Lingli were pregnant, their children due sometime between June and September.

It was Changan and Ruan who had hailed her. Chengan had been busy handing over the criminals who had dared disturbed the peace and order and more importantly, raised their hands against his children. The grandparents, pregnant women, and five little 'babies' had been snacking when they heard there was a commotion but the adults had held them back. The two parents had been selling their products, Nuan and Taisu were shopping, and Ruan negotiating shipping with a merchant from another island whose daughter was quite fond of him... and there was a high probability the feeling was mutual.

She was bombarded with questions about herself, her family, her destination, her travels, her likes and dislikes... to which she answered to the best of her abilities despite being frequently interrupted by other questions... Until their mother made them shut up:

"Such things should be left for after the meal! Of course you'll stay with us for the night, won't you dear?"

Of course, how could she possibly refuse? Only she made sure to give a fake name. She would have preferred to proudly introduce herself and tell the truth, but again, it was better, safer not to, for everyone's sake. Chenlian had rarely met such forceful people. But they were also brave and courageous, although the young ones were rather impulsive and reckless, but that was to their honor too. And through their questions, she learned about them. They seemed like good, law-abiding people, faithful to their country despite a latent dislike for war who had taken some of their family members. They were the result of the merging of the two most influential (and former rival) families of the island. They upheld honor, responsibilities, and honest work and were quite wealthy. Each of their members was proud of- and would do anything for their family, which was not that common in the fire nation. Somehow, they reminded her of a water tribe clan. Everyone in that family was to learn the basics of martial arts, in order to protect themselves, their family, and their possessions, as well as the order and peace of their island.

The grandparents were always bickering but that was their way of getting along. Both had strong and sharp personalities and were very resilient and 'take charge', and still quite fit for their age. The parents were as strong and stubborn as their own parents with the same gentle sides when need be. Chengan's appearance was gruff and bear-like but surprisingly tender, cheerful and playful when you got to know him. His wife was a pretty woman, very kind and friendly, but somehow she had this authoritative aura and people instinctively obeyed her. It was impossible to say 'no'. But she would also melt when her husband would take her in his strong arms, nuzzle her, and be all cute and loving. Changan would try to look serious, tough and strict but was in fact very doting. Excellent swordsman and farm tools user, very good at fixing things. Meian was the second mother of the family. She did most of the cooking and often yelled at people to behave, even more so than their mother and everyone felt submissive to her, but she was very kind and friendly too and possessed great physical strength and stamina. Rongan had a laid-back and playful personality but was reliable when need be, and preferred hand to hand combat. Nuan, although quite pretty, did not show much emotion or spoke much but was mature and wise and knew more than she would let on. Somehow, she reminded Chenlian of another girl she knew, although unlike her, that other girl seemed constantly bored. Maybe the difference in social standing... She was mostly responsible for the laundry and although she rarely raised her voice, it was not wise to anger her. Ruan looked kind of like a punk but was the most knowledgeable one, and good at acupuncture and medicine. Yuan and Huan often fought but they were united against Yian and Jian and would mock them for their concerns about their weight and boys (although they were all slender) and their sort of friendly rivalry. As for the five little 'babies' they had that limitless stamina and hunger for games, novelty, and attention as proper to their age... to the point that Chenlian thought that playing with them was much more exhausting than everything she had endured until now. And much funnier too. It was a huge, warm, lively, and extremely rowdy family.

When they arrived at the plantation, the men unloaded the three carts they had come with and the women started preparing the meal. After that, they talked and laughed again a lot. They shared recipes, remedies, meals, stories, songs, beddings, knowledge about other cultures or the art of growing good ash bananas... Chenlian helped them with everything as much as she could, cleaning, cooking, the laundry, picking eggs, vegetables, baby sitting the young ones, teaching them moves of her own in swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat, although ranks and formalities had little to nothing to do with them... She was really lucky to have known such a family again... With them time passed slowly and quickly in the same time.

And so, in the twelfth day after Aang and Chenlian's awakening and escaping from their respective prisons of ice and metal...

In the star filled night, Prince Zuko's ship was gliding through the ocean. In his quarters, Zuko was sitting in the lotus position in front of an altar. Four white candles were burning in front of him, their light increasing and decreasing to the rhythm of his breathing. His eyes were close. His face was calm and concentrated. He was meditating. The door opened and Iroh entered the room.

"The only reason you should be interrupting me is if you have news about the Avatar." The prince warned, his voice dangerously silky. The retired general entered cautiously. He was carrying a map.

"Well, there is news, Prince Zuko, but you might not like it. Don't get too upset."

"Uncle, you taught me that keeping a level head is a sign of a great leader. Now whatever you have to say, I'm sure that I can take it." Zuko replied calmly.

"Okay, then... we have no idea where he is."

"WHAT?!" The teen yelled, enraged. Obviously, the meditation and Iroh's teachings did not seem to have left any deep or lasting effect on the young man... The four candles flared to the ceiling with his wrath. He bolted upright and turned around to face his uncle, his anger evident on his face. Iroh turned away from the flames, raising his right arm to protect his face before pulling a fan out of his robe as the flames subsided.

"You really should open a window in here." The old man fanned himself.

"Give me the map!" Zuko barked, snatching the scroll. He studied it for a time.

"There have been multiple sightings of the Avatar, but he is impossible to track down." Iroh summarized the situation.

"How am I gonna find him, Uncle?" The exiled prince looked down at the map marked with circled Xs and dotted lines connecting the reported Avatar sightings. The lines were zigzagging all over the landmass drawings in an apparent desire to shake people off their trail and confuse the pursuers as to their actual destination. "He is clearly a master of evasive maneuvering."

"You have no idea where you're going, do you?" Sokka asked the Avatar. Sitting atop Appa with an exasperated expression on his face, he was reading the same map as Zuko's.

"Weeelll, I know it's near water..." Aang turned his head back to answer. They were flying over an endless expanse of water for as far as the eye could see.

"I guess we're getting close then." The warrior replied, as smart (and sarcastic) as usual. Aang still had his head turned back, but his attention had shifted to the pretty brown-haired girl who was mending a cloth. He asked Momo, who was sitting on his left shoulder, to get him the marbles. The lemur rummaged into the boy's shirt and returned with a marble it handed to its master.

"Hey Katara! Check out this airbending trick!" Aang smiled eagerly and suspended the marbles between his two hands and made them whirl around and around in mid-air, thus producing music – or at least noises. He was grinning happily at Katara, seeking her attention but she was preoccupied, and did not look up from her sewing. She merely replied absentmindedly that it was great. The monk was crushed that she did not even looked. The girl stopped her sewing and looked at him, repeating with a smile that it was great.

"But I'm not doing it now."

Sokka, who was lolling at the back of Appa's saddle with his arms crossed casually behind his head, waved his arm dismissively.

"Stop bugging her, airhead. You need to give girls space when they do their sewing."

Katara stopped her needle in midair and turned her head towards Sokka, her face a mixture of annoyance and anger at her brother's arrogant tone and attitude.

"What does me being a girl have to do with sewing?" She asked, clearly aggravated.

"Simple: girls are better at fixing pants than guys, and guys are better at hunting and fighting and stuff like that. It's just the natural order of things." The male chauvinist replied smugly.

"All done with your pants! And look what a great job I did!" The waterbender said with an overly – and obviously fake – happy tone. Glowering, she threw the pants at her brother. They hit him in the head.

"Wait! I was just kidding! I can't wear these Katara, PLEASE!" The proud and brave warrior begged, sticking his arm through the big hole in the seat of his pants. But Aang reassured him: where they were going, he would not need any pants!

They arrived at an island and landed on a snowy beach. Snow-capped mountains were visible not to far behind them. Sokka wanted to keep flying as they had already made a pit stop the previous day, and for once, his sister agreed with him.

"But Appa's tired already, aren't you boy?" The little monk argued, shading his face and looking out over the water. Before the lack of response from the animal, he insisted. "I said, aren't you boy?" Aang nudged Appa conspiratorially with his elbow. Appa yawned on cue, evidently more to get along with his master and friend than because of his supposed fatigue. Aang stuck his thumb in the big bison's direction.

"Yeah, that was **_real_** convincing. Still, hard to argue with a ten ton magical monster." Sokka replied sarcastically. Then the airbender noticed the reason he had come here for. The elephant koi. All excited, he stripped down to his underwear and told Katara that she gotta watch him. He was going to ride the giant koi fish. He dived into the water before leaping out again a second later with a shocked expression on his face. He had apparently forgotten that at this time of the year, the water was generally icily cold. The siblings looked at each other wryly, and Sokka made the universal "he's crazy" signal by twirling his finger next to his head. However, the temperature was not enough to dampen the boy's feelings who managed to catch hold of an elephant koi. The giant fish leapt out of the water with Aang riding on its back, his hands grasping the dorsal fin. The airbender's enthusiasm was communicative, and soon Katara was excitedly cheering for him. This made the monk even more ecstatic as two other elephant kois joined the one he was riding on. But Appa, who was bored, had gone off somewhere to eat and the girl had gone to try and stop him. The Avatar noticed and made a dejected sound and expression.

Suddenly, the two fish behind Aang veered off, and Sokka noticed that there was something in the water that must have scared them and attempted to warn him. Alerted by her brother's cries, the waterbender quickly came back. They yelled at their friend to get back here. However, with the wind and the distance, the child could not make out the meaning of their screams and misinterpreted their frantic gestures for cheers and encouragements. The koi fish he was riding bucked and sent Aang headlong into the bay. He resurfaced, spurting water out of his mouth. He was breathing heavily and gasping for air when an enormous serrated fin ominously rose from the water behind him. The boy turned around and his eyes widened. He screamed in panic. The Avatar leapt to the surface of the water and using his airbending skills, began to run towards the shore. The huge fin turned and chased him but Aang managed to reach the shore in time, running head first and full force into Sokka, knocking him off his feet, and they both crashed into a tree far in the back. Disappearing below the surface, the fin slowly headed back out to sea. Katara ran back to her companions. Aang was already dressing himself. They did not know what that thing was and did not intend to stay to find out. It was then that four green clad warriors fell on Aang, Sokka, Katara, and Momo from the trees Before the travellers could even blink they were all subdued, bound and blindfolded, utterly overcome by the warriors' sheer superiority in their fighting skills and speed as well as their extreme efficiency and organisation. There was absolutely no wasted movement or imperfection in their attack. And their individual abilities only enhanced their teamwork. Even Momo was captured in a bag.

The prisoners were led up a snowy mountain path surrounded by naked trees and into a village were they were tied to a big pole. An old man and a woman threatened them to throw them back in the water with the unagi if they did not answer all their questions. Sokka demanded that the cowards showed themselves. The blindfolds were removed. Before the captured stood five young girls dressed in pine green robes. Their faces were painted white, red lips and accents, and black eye, red eyeshadow, and brow streaks. Black armoured plates covered their torso, waste, shoulders, and forearms, and they carried fans in their waistbands. Sokka was straining at his bonds, this time demanding where were the men who had ambushed them.

"There were no men._ We_ ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing here?" The lead female warrior, recognizable to her different haircut and headdress, asked in the same tone.

"Wait a second, there's no way that a bunch of girls took us down." The Water Tribesman laughed with smug disbelief. The leader of the women grabbed him by the collar and shook him.

"A bunch of girls, huh? The unagi's gonna eat well tonight." She said threateningly.

"No, don't hurt him! He didn't mean it. My brother is just an idiot sometimes." Katara interrupted them.

"It's my fault. I'm sorry we came here. I wanted to ride the elephant koi." Aang apologised. However, the old village head – Oyaji – still suspected them of being Fire Nation spies. Kyoshi Island had stayed out of the war so far and they intended to keep it that way. Aang's face showed surprise and interest.

"This island is named for Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" He exclaimed happily.

"Ha! How could you possibly know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here four hundred years ago. She's been dead for centuries." Oyaji was sure the spy had exposed himself. At the top of the pole the prisoners were tied was a statue of Avatar Kyoshi, dressed in the same green garments as the female warriors who captured Aang, Sokka, and Katara. Her face was painted white and there were two open fans in her hands.

"I know her because I'm the Avatar." Aang answered with truthful simplicity. However, such a thing was impossible: the Avatar was an airbender who had disappeared a hundred years ago. The old man ordered for the impostors to be thrown to the unagi. The Kyoshi warriors assumed a fighting stance, each having two open fans in hands, and closing in menacingly toward the helpless trio. Katara tersely asked Aang to do some airbending... which he did, breaking his bonds, shooting himself into the air, and doing a back flip over the top of Kyoshi's statue. He landed gracefully on the ground amidst the 'oohs' and 'aahs' of the gathered crowd, which now included other members of the village. They all gazed at him in shock and amazement: it was true, he was the Avatar.._. _And Aang, realizing that he now had an audience, pulled the marble out from under his shirt and grinning like a fool, did the same trick he had tried to impress Katara with earlier, much to the villagers' delight.

Not long later, a small girl was running eagerly across a pier to a fisherman who is lifting his catch out of the water in a conical basket. She told him the Avatar was on Kyoshi. He dropped his basket in surprise and quickly picked it up again. In a small street of a village, the fisherman handed his basket of fish to a merchant and the merchant sold a fish to a customer, apparently a man from the Fire Nation, from his cloths. And so the rumour spread like wildfire into the ears of the person who should have never heard it... In Zuko's quarters, the customer who had purchased the fish from the merchant (and turned out to be Zuko's cook) served the cooked fish to the prince and his uncle.

"The Avatar's on Kyoshi Island!?" The teen stood up angrily. "Uncle, ready the rhinos. He's not getting away from me this time." He told his kin while leaving the room. Iroh was still sitting at the dinner table with the steaming and so delicious-looking hot plate of fish in front of him. He clearly had no intention to leave, not when **that** was in front of him.

"Are you going to finish that?" He asked his nephew, obviously hoping for a negative answer so – he – could finish it. Zuko walked back in, as angry-looking as always, and grabbed the plate with the fish.

"I was going to save it for later!" He stormed off again with his meal. Iroh crossed his arms in annoyance, sulky and pouting. That fish looked so yummy... he didn't have to take it away!

The next morning on Kyoshi Island, Aang and Katara were savouring their breakfast sitting before a long low wooden table covered with over fifteen plates of food with Momo occasionally snatching pieces and hiding back under the low table; while a few villagers were restoring Avatar Kyoshi's statue. Outside, Appa was lying on his side munching on fresh hay and grunting happily, clearly enjoying the attention. One villager was scrubbing his fur and another was buffing his horns. In the house behind Appa, Aang happily threw his arms in his arms in the air after another had brought another plate of food.

"All right! Dessert for breakfast! These people sure know how to treat an Avatar!" He exclaimed, his mouth full, and still stuffing his face. He offered his female friend a sweet, saying she got to try it. The waterbender accepted after a little hesitation. "Sokka, what's your problem? Eat!" He turned his attention to a very disgruntled Sokka sitting hunched and glowering in the corner of the room.

"Not hungry." The teenager replied, sulking like a child.

"But you're **always** hungry!" Aang replied, shocked.

"He's just upset because a bunch of girls kicked his butt yesterday." The waterbender explained with a smug, knowing smile and expression.

"They snuck up on me!" The warrior lamely justified himself.

"Right. And then they kicked your butt." Katara corrected herself with the same smug tone as before.

"Sneak attacks don't count!" Sokka got up angrily and paced around the room, gesticulating wildly to the air. "Tie me up with ropes! I'll show them a thing or two. I'm not scared of any girls." He paced around to the breakfast table and ferociously grabbed sweets. Under the table, Momo protectively and possessively gathered all the sweets he had collected against him in case 'someone' would try to steal them. "Who do they think they are anyway?" He talked to himself, his voice lowered, before growling and shoving a sweet into his mouth and walking out of the room. "Mmm... this is tasty."

Still at the table, the Avatar wondered what his friend could be so angry about. After all they were given the royal treatment. Katara warned him not to get too comfortable as it was risky for them to stay in one place for very long.

"I'm sure we'll be fine. Besides, did you see how happy I'm making this town?" Aang replied, confident and optimistic as always, turning around to look out the window at the two villagers working on Avatar Kyoshi's statue. "They're even cleaning up that statue in my honor!"

"Well, it's nice to see you excited about being the Avatar. I just hope it doesn't all go to your head."

"Come on, you know me better than that. I'm just a simple monk." The boy dismissed his companion's worries with a smile. He stood up and went to the window where he looked down in surprise to see the courtyard full of little village girls, screaming, squealing, and cheering at him. Aang's mouth curved in a large silly grin while his cheeks turned red. Katara, standing slightly behind him, crossed her arms, sticked her tongue out and made a long exasperated sound.

Not long later, Aang was running back and forth over a bright red bridge while being hotly pursued by the screaming pack of little village girls. The group ended up splitting and coming at him from both sides of the bridge as he stood in the middle of it. The boy jumped high in the air as the groups merged together beneath him, waiting for him to come back down. He had his arms wrapped around a spinning ball of air that soon dissipated and he fell into the girls' waiting arms. Later, Koko, one of the young girls, had managed to monopolize him and both were standing before a waterfall, posing for an artist.

"Painting the Avatar... that's easy enough..." The old ink-painter said, starting his drawing. He dropped his parchment for another look and there were two girls standing with the Avatar. He made the adjustment, looked again, and there were five girls standing around Aang. And the next time he looked, every girl in the village had joined the group. The artist stared at them with great disbelief and irritation. The group crowded in closer to the boy, giggling, while he had something of a horrified expression on his face. After surveying the scene for a few seconds, the artist got up from his stool and left, giving up. The girls collapsed on top of Aang into a laughing pile.

Then the Avatar was doing push ups in front of six of the girls staring down at him in rapt admiration. The young monk began to do one handed push ups before putting both hands behind his back and using his breath to push (airbend) himself up off the ground. Katara walked past them carrying a basket and rolling her eyes.

Sokka approached a house nestled in evergreen trees, muttering to himself about 'girls'. He walked up to the door and looked inside. The fan warriors are drilling. He grined, puts up his hands, and entered the dojo.

"Sorry ladies! Didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson." He greeted them arrogantly, stretching his arms and waist. "I was just looking for somewhere to get a little workout?"

"Well, you're in the right place." Suki, the leader of the female warriors, told him. She apologised sincerely about the previous day as she did not know he was friend with the Avatar.

"It's all right. I mean, normally I'd hold a grudge, but seeing as you guys are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception." The water tribesman replied flippantly while rotating his shoulders.

"I should hope so. A big strong man like you? We wouldn't stand a chance." Suki noted sarcastically.

"True. But don't feel bad. After all, I'm the best warrior in my village."

"Wow! Best warrior, huh? In your whole village? Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a little demonstration." The female leader, whose light brown hair was cut in a bob, leant toward him, smiling.

"Oh... well... I mean... I..."

"Come on, girls! Wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?" She turned toward her girls who were giggling and nodding affirmatively.

"Well, if that's what you want, I'd be happy to. All right, you stand over there." He grasped Suki's shoulders and pushed her back a little, but she did not move, which he did not seem to notice or care. "This may be a little tough, but try to block me." Sokka threw a punch. The 'girl' blocked it with a deft thrust of her fan to his shoulder. Sokka rubbed his shoulder. "Heh heh... good. Of course, I was going easy on you."

"Of course."

"Let's see if you can handle this!" Sokka attempted to kick Suki who caught him under his leg and tossed him backward toward the door. He landed on his butt.

"That does it!" He yelled angrily, bolting upright and lunging again. She grabbed him by the arm, spun him around in circles, tied his arm to his foot with his own belt, and threw him to the floor.

"Anything else you want to teach us?" The female warrior laughed as she stood victoriously over Sokka whose face flushed in humiliation and all the warriors laughed at him.

And the day wore on with the men showing off to the girls (more or less successfully) and the girls training, giggling or shopping, and everyone doing what they ought to do.

When you are happy, time passes too quickly. And before Chenlian or the family she was staying at noticed, three days had already passed, and four since she arrived on that island. Once more, she did not want to, but it was time to leave. And once more, she better not say goodbye, or they would want to see her to a ship, ask the passengers and/or the crew to make sure they saw to her well, and help her after disembarking... and while she was immensely grateful for their concern and kindness, and that she had already become like a family member, she'd be constantly watched, and she wanted to avoid that. The more time she would spend with people, the more she would increase the chances of being discovered, even though she had picked up some make up skills and could lighten her hair with lemon, or darken it with henna, sage, rosemary or black tea and thus constantly change her style as well as her name. Even if those were a really nice family, it did not mean she could blindly trust anyone. She knew that her leaving like this was certainly going to hurt them very much, and that they might feel betrayed, and yet still hoped in a corner of her heart that they would trust her despite what they might hear in the future. And so, Chenlian crept away in the middle of the night, careful to try not to wake anyone up.

"Are you leaving?" A voice asked quietly. The firebender was unable to tell whether there was any hint of reproof or accusation or not. Maybe she felt guilty enough as it was and thought she had heard it. Or maybe she just hoped it was not the case. She was just at the door and her attempt to quietly slip away had failed.

"Ruan..." She whispered his name. Ruan, the one closest to her, in age and personality. They understood and appreciated each other for what and who they were as much as it was possible in such circumstances. The rest of the family had often teased them about the type of relationship they had. They too almost could have passed for brother and sister. "Yes."

"Without saying goodbye?"

"I'm not good at it..." There was a long pause. Both seemed to be waiting. The boy was first to break the silence.

"Oh, come on, don't make that face." He scratched his head. That face: her head slightly tilted, sorrowful, sincerely apologetic, and yet determined and still hopeful for his understanding and acceptance. "You've had that troubled look all afternoon: it's obvious you were planning something like that."

"So you knew... And here I thought I was good at judging people... it means there are always people above you. Do the others know too?"

"Beats me. But I'm sure some do."

"I see. Will you let me go like this?"

"You'd knock me out if I didn't, right?"

"That's-"

"You told many half-truths, and hid many things, but – we – can tell you're not a bad person despite that, and we believe you have a good reason for acting like that. The little ones will be very sad, and for that I should probably try to force that reason out of you and dissuade you, as they'd also be very sad if something was to happen to you. We would all be. If you're so secretive, it means you're up to something dangerous aren't you? Relax, I'm not going to do anything. I just wanted to talk. Well, that being said, I can't imagine you going into danger for the heck of it. No, I believe you're like us. You have something you want to protect no matter what, right? You seem to be wavering a lot about this and that but you still walk forward. Don't worry about us. Keep walking forward. Don't look back. And protect everything that you must, need, and want to protect."

"Thank you. All of you. Because people like you exist, I can fight. I will protect everyone, and I will come back. And at that time, I will tell you everything you want to know. The entire truth this time. Until then please take care and tell the others I'm sorry and 'see you next time'."

"Alright." He answered. The girl had barely taken a few steps that she felt an arm wrap around her shoulders. "Wait. You forgot this." Ruan gave her a box wrapped in a cloth.

"What is it?"

"A surprise." The boy smiled mysteriously. "And don't forget that you will always be welcomed here, because this is also **your** family."

Chenlian's eyes widened for a second, shocked by the sheer warmth and sincerity of this simple statement. She recovered, let out a small chuckle and left without another word or look.

After having walked far enough, she opened the box. It contained her favourite dishes. She started trembling.

**_"Are you crying?"_**

_"I'm not crying. If I have the time to cry, I should be keeping my promise to them instead... And how many times are you going to make me repeat myself?" _ And indeed her eyes were completely dry. But Guang knew that just like that time on Ember Island, even if her eyes were not crying, her heart was, and even if their connection allowed him to know her feelings first hand, there were things that needed to be voiced.

The next day in Kyoshi Island was mostly the same as the previous one...

Aang was showing the statue of Avatar Kyoshi to a cluster of girls, saying it was himself in a past life. They voiced their amazement at how pretty he had been. He excused himself to the 'ladies' to go see Katara who was today again in the market place filling a basket with vegetables. He approached her and taped her on the shoulder.

"Oh, good! Can you help me carry this back to the room? It's a little heavy." The waterbender asked him for help.

"Actually, I can't right now."

"What do you mean you can't?" She shot back, a little irritated.

"I promised the girls that I'd give them a ride on Appa. Why don't you come with us? It'll be fun!" He offered.

"Watching you show off for a bunch of girls does not sound like fun." Katara continued picking up vegetables.

"Well, neither does carrying your basket."

"It's not **my** basket. These supplies are for our trip. I told you, we have to leave Kyoshi soon." The teen retorted, her tone slightly dry.

"I don't want to leave Kyoshi yet. I can't put my finger on it, but there's something I really like about this place." The monk's eyes fell on the group of groupies who had been following him around all day. They giggled.

"What's taking you so long, Aangy?" Koko stomped her foot in annoyance and put her hands on her hips.

"Aangy..." Katara repeated flatly.

"Just a second, Koko!" Aang called back.

"'Simple monk,' huh? I thought you promised me that this Avatar stuff wouldn't go to your head."

"It didn't. You know what I think? You just don't want to come because you're jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?"

"Jealous that we're having so much fun without you."

"That's ridiculous." The waterbender girl furiously put the vegetables in the basket.

"It is a little ridiculous, but I understand." The Avatar replied smugly. Katara looked angrily at Aang as they stood framed by the vegetable stand. She groaned loudly, exasperated, picked up the basket, and marched away from him. Aang watched her go as the giggling girls dragged him away.

Sokka kicked a stone outside of the fan warriors' dojo. He walked cautiously to the door. Suki and her warriors were training again, but stopped when they saw Sokka walk in. He timidly greeted the leader.

"Hoping for another dance lesson?" She inquired mockingly.

"No... I... well, let me explain."

"Spit it out! What do you want?"

"I would be honored if you would teach me." Sokka knelt down in humility.

"Even if I'm a _girl_?" Suki said, a little dryly.

"I'm sorry if I insulted you yesterday. I was wrong."

"We normally don't teach outsiders, let alone boys."

"Please make an exception. I won't let you down."

"All right. But you have to follow all of our traditions."

"Of course!"

"And I mean ALL of them..." And soon, Sokka was clad in the full green dress and white face paint of the fan warriors.

"Do I really have to wear this? It feels a little... girly."

"It's a warrior's uniform. You should be proud. The silk thread symbolizes the brave blood that flows through our veins. The gold insignia represents the honor of the warrior's heart."

"Bravery and honor." The male warrior repeated, standing proudly. Aang walked by the door to the dojo. He turned and ducked his head in, smiling mischievously.

"Hey Sokka! Nice dress!" He giggled and raced off. Sokka slumped down, his momentary pride is visibly crushed by Aang's barb. Suki was smiling at him and enjoying his discomfort.

Katara was practicing her waterbending in their room, a plume of water rising and falling from a small bowl in front of her. Aang entered and stood cockily in the doorway.

"Katara, remember how the unagi almost got me two days ago?"

"Yeah." The girl replied, not looking up from her bowl.

"Well, I'm gonna go ride it now. It's gonna be REAL dangerous."

"Good for you."

"You're not going to stop me?" Aang asked, surprised.

"Nope. Have fun." The waterbender answered, her eyes still fixed on the bowl.

"I will." The boy crossed his arms peevishly.

"Great."

"I know it's great."

"I'm glad you know."

"I'm glad you're glad."

"Good!"

"Fine!"

Their tone had been steadily rising too. And when there was nothing left to say, Aang angrily turned to storm out of the room. He paused at the door and turned his head back to look at Katara who was still intent on her waterbending and did not look up at him. His face fell and he walked out the door. Katara let the water fall back into the bowl, crossed her arms, and looked at the door through which Aang had just exited. Obviously, both had been hurt and regretted but were too proud to apologise and speak their real feelings.

In the dojo Suki and Sokka were circling each other with their fans unfurled. She warned him that he was not going to master it in one day and that even she was not that good.

"I think I'm starting to get it." The boy said, slightly losing his balance. He kept practicing, and at the end of the set threw his fan out the door and into a tree. Suki looked out the door at the lost fan as snow fell from the branches above to bury it.

"It's not about strength." She turned and walked toward Sokka. "Our technique is about using your opponents' force against them. Loosen up. Think of the fan as an extension of your arm." She assumed the battle stance. "Wait for an opening and then..." She lunged at Sokka who parried the thrust, knocking her off her feet. The girl appeared surprised and embarrassed as she looked up from her spot on the floor. And Sokka was just as surprised.

"I fell on purpose to make you feel better!" Suki got to her feet, flustered and obviously lying.

"I got you! Admit I got you!" The male fighter laughed and pointed a finger at her.

"Okay, it was a lucky shot. Let's see if you can do it again." The Kyoshi warrior laughed as she grabbed Sokka's outstretched hand and painfully bended it back. She let go of Sokka's hand and they assumed battle positions. They began circling each other.

In the middle of the bay the Avatar was looking towards shore at his fan club, all of the girls were sitting and apparently very bored and impatient. Aang tried to stall and renew their interest by spinning the marbles between his hands but they were tired of that too. Koko asked where the unagi was; it was getting late. The girls started to get up and walk away, leaving Aang alone in the water to shout and wave at them.

"Where're you going? Don't leave!"

"Sorry, Aang! Maybe next time." And as the last of the girls was leaving, Katara walked onto the beach.

"Katara! You came!" The airbender waved excitedly.

"I wanted to make sure you were safe. You really had me worried."

"Back there you acted like you didn't care."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. I did let all that attention go to my head. I was being a jerk." Both apologised sincerely.

"Well, get out of the water before you catch a cold, you big jerk!" Katara said affectionately.

"On my way!" Aang grinned widely as he began to swim toward shore. As he swam towards land, the unagi came up behind him and caught him in its wake. As the unagi rose from the water, Aang was kneeling on a portion of its tail. The unagi raised its head and spewed a powerful jet of water directly at Aang. He leapt up and grabbed hold of one of the unagi whiskers. The giant sea serpent shook its head back and forth in an attempt to dislodge the human who was swinging back and forth in front of its sharp fangs, saliva drips from its teeth. Katara cried at him to hang on. The monster kept shaking its head until Aang was thrown into the water where he surfaced, unconscious. Both the unagi and Katara rushed towards him but the girl reached him first and took him into her arms just as the unagi raised itself from the water. She pushed the water forcefully in front of her, propelling both herself and Aang away from the beast. The unagi dived into the water and the force of its dive sent the two benders flying into a recess in the rocks. The sea monster shot water from its mouth until it eventually sank back into the bay. Katara peered over the side of the opening to see the Prince Zuko's ship approaching the island. It landed, the prow was let down and Zuko rode out of the hull on the back of a komodo rhino accompanied by many men also mounted on komodo rhinos.

"I want the Avatar alive." The prince warned his soldiers. The girl hid back in the recess with a still unconscious Aang as Zuko and his army march towards the village.

"Wake up, Aang!" She cried when they were gone. She moved her hands up Aang's chest, drawing the water out of his lungs and bending it out of his mouth. The boy coughed and sputtered.

"Katara... don't ride the unagi. Not fun." He managed weakly.

In the dojo, Sokka and Suki were still sparring when Oyagi ran to the door, breathless, and warned them that Firebenders had landed on their shores, telling the 'girls' to come quickly.

"Hey, I'm not a... oh, whatever!" Sokka began before running after Oyagi and Suki.

It was in a deserted town that Zuko entered. He yelled at the Avatar to come out: he could not hide from him forever, and then, before the lack of response, he ordered his men to find him. Three komodo rhinos marched into the main street. The villagers were hiding inside their wooden houses. The fan warriors silently ran along the rooftops, jumped, and quickly took down the enemy soldiers from their mounts. Suki headed directly for Zuko who had stayed behind at the entrance. As she was about to land on him, he turned his stead and its tail swatted her down. She was still on the ground when the prince aimed a fire blast at her. Sokka stepped in front of Suki and deflected the fireball. While his attention was distracted, a female warrior who had jumped down from above made him fall from his mount onto the wooden walkway of a house. He was then surrounded by Suki, Sokka, and another warrior who cautiously approached Zuko who spun around on his hands shooting fire bolts out of his feet at the three warriors, knocking them all away, before pulling himself to his feet and leaping to the middle of the street.

"Nice try, Avatar! But these little girls can't save you."

"Hey! Over here!" Aang suddenly yelled from behind him.

"Finally!" Zuko said, turning around to face him. He immediately attacked him with three consecutive fire balls. But Aang dodged them and, using his staff as a helicopter, flew toward Zuko who shot another blast of fire, knocking Aang's staff out of his hands. The Avatar leapt away and picked up two discarded fans. The prince lunged at his opponent who used the fans to throw a powerful gust of air at Zuko. The air knocking him through a wall. Aang dropped the fans and recuperated his staff. He threw it into the air and flew over the now burning town. He looked behind him to see the statue of Avatar Kyoshi engulfed in flames. He landed next to Katara, who was helping a small child inside a house that was still safe.

"Look what I brought to this place." Aand said, upset. Katara tried to reassure him saying it was not his fault. "Yes, it is. These people got their town destroyed trying to protect me."

"Then let's get out of here. Zuko will leave Kyoshi to follow us. I know it feels wrong to run, but I think it's the only way." The waterbender suggested wisely and decisively.

"I'll call Appa." The Avatar agreed, hanging his head.

In town, the battle was still raging. A female warrior knocked a soldier out by throwing her fan directly at his face mask. Sokka and Suki were crouching down behind a house.

"There's no time to say goodbye." The Kyoshi warrior said with urgency in her voice.

"What about, 'I'm sorry'?"

"For what?"

"I treated you like a girl when I should have treated you like a warrior." Sokka apologised for his prejudice.

"I am a warrior." Suki leant toward him and kissed his cheek. "But I'm a girl, too." Sokka put his hand to his cheek, his eyes wide with surprise. He blushed. "Now get out of here! We'll hold them off." Suki left to join the fight. Sokka ran up Appa's tail. Katara, Aang, and Momo were waiting for him. On the airbender's command, Appa grunted and flew out of the town. When he saw them leaving, Zuko ordered everyone back to the ship. They must not lose sight of them. And noticing just how upset Aang was, Katara and leant forward and tried to comfort him: he had done the right thing. Zuko would have destroyed the whole place if they had stayed. They were going to be okay. Without a word, Aang suddenly dived off of Appa's head into the bay, a determined expression on his face. The Avatar soon resurfaced holding the unagi's whiskers and forced its head towards the burning town of Kyoshi. He pulled back on the whiskers and the monster spewed water over the town. The stream went on long enough to put out the fires Zuko and his army had begun. Soaking wet, the invaders, all gathered on a single rhino did not look very happy to say the least.

After judging Kyoshi out of danger, the last airbender let go of the unagi's whiskers and jumped into the air just as Appa swooped down. The bison caught Aang in his front paws and flew off. Oyagi looked at the departing travellers through a window and gratefully thanked the Avatar. The monk climbed into Appa's saddle where his friends were sitting, waiting for him.

"I know, I know. That was stupid and dangerous." He took the initiative before the scolding actually came.

"Yes, it was." Katara agreed before suddenly taking the boy in her arms. Aang's face lit up with joy and surprise. That was what he had truly wanted all along. And Appa calmly and quietly flew away to the setting sun.


	7. Masters

**Fight****07: Masters**

After two days and three nights of 'flying' and resting, Chenlian finally arrived at a town she had been anxiously looking forward too. It was a peaceful and secluded village situated on a cliff above a great river and waterfalls and surrounded by beautiful mountains, but famous for hosting one person she had been dying to see again. She felt that by spending just a few days with him in this place, she was going to recover most of her mental and physical strength and abilities. Here, at Master Piandao's castle, near the town of Shu Jing.

She knocked on the castle door and the attendant opened. It was a pot-bellied man, not very young, with a condescending personality. But she nonetheless believed him to be a zealous and loyal servant. She had come to request lessons from the master, and when asked what she had brought to prove her worth she answered that it should be for the master to judge. The girl was brought to a room where the master was doing calligraphy. Chenlian sat down formally on her shins, her sword beside her at her right.

"Master, my name is Zhuhe, and while I unfortunately don't have much time I have nonetheless come to request lessons from the master."

That was right. Piandao was a master swordsman, the best in the whole Fire Nation and possibly the world. His speciality was the jian sword but he was also proficient with other blades such as the dao swords or the dragon sword. He had attained that level by incorporating techniques from benders, artisans, and warriors. After having fought and won many battles for his country, he had lost his taste for war and sought enlightenment. Conflicted about the Fire Nation's role in the war, he left the army and travelled through the world before returning home and settling in Shu Jing. And in a legendary battle, he defeated all one hundred soldiers of the Fire Army who had come to arrest him for deserting. After that, he was never bothered again except by arrogant and conceited youths who thought themselves the best in their region and demanded to be taught by the him...

"It is rather unusual for a girl to come to me. By the looks of it, it seems you have already been trained in the art of the sword. Why come to me, especially if it is only for a few days? Is it just for boasting that you've gone through hundreds of miles?"

"It is true that I have been trained, and it is true that I have gone through a long distance in many senses. I was often praised as a genius, a prodigy. And I was conceited. I thought I would never lose to anyone or anything. But then I lost everything. And I realized I was just a weak child ignorant of the world. I wandered a lot. I got lost. And I lost something important. That is why I came here, to recover part of who I was. I am not as foolish to think I can get everything back. Nothing can ever be same. But at this rate, it won't be enough. I am not enough. I must start over from scratch. Please give me the strength to walk and struggle forward without getting lost again. Please give me the strength to protect myself and what I must protect." She begged.

"What must you protect? And where will you go after you leave?"

"I will join with people who I believe share similar dreams, hopes, and ambition to mine. Even if I can't do much alone, with them... surely..."

"May I see your sword?"

The girl stood up and without a word went to sit at his side. She gave him the sword along with a small bag. He first gazed at the red scabbard with the golden dragon design before his eyes rested on the hilt where a white lotus had been carved. The pommel ended with a long dual red tassel. He slowly took out the sword from its sheath and admired the dark obsidian blade with a golden sheen and its razor sharp edges. It was a well-balanced sword, flexible, yet resistant and enduring. He then looked at the girl and her clear, honest, and straightforward eyes. He knew what the small bag contained without having to open it. And he knew who she was. And she knew he knew. And yet both played the game because for now that was the best option. That girl... children should not worry about adults... even though girls her age were already no longer children... especially considering what had happened to her in these past years...

"You remind me of a girl I once taught. She was self-centered, impatient, impulsive, aggressive, full of herself, way too direct in both speech and action, and didn't know how big the world was." The man pondered contemplatively. At this her expression turned into a slightly embarrassed smile. "But just like this blade, she was exceedingly keen and sharp, and had a real talent for the dragon straight sword and learned very quickly. Alright, you can live here for the time of your stay. I'll keep that sword for now. You can start by writing your name." That was right. You could not take back a brushstroke like you could not take back a sword stroke. She would stamp her identity on the paper. Her strokes looked sharper than before but in the same time there was hesitation and confusion, like she was forcing herself. The master then took her to the waterfalls where she had to draw what she only had three seconds to see. Once back she had to arrange the garden to fit her convenience. She put wooden planks or other stones on top of rocks to make the footing more unstable and thus the training more worthwhile. It was fun. The more difficult the task, the more motivated she was. The young woman was then made to spar with a guy using wooden swords, which she did for about two days. Her sparring sessions were cut by meditation sessions and other physical training. Before at last, the master decided to give her back her sword and spar with her himself.

It was the seventeenth day that Aang, Katara and Sokka arrived at the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu where the airbender used to visit his friend Bumi. It was the second largest city of the Earth Kingdom (second only to Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom capital) and capital to one of its provinces. The tall mountain peak on which Omashu was founded was located in the Kolau Mountain Range in the southwestern Earth Kingdom and was surrounded by steep canyons and an enormous gorge. The peak and city rose high out of a deep chasm that had been created several centuries ago by earthbenders. The only way to reach the gates of Omashu was across a long narrow bridge of stone that spanned the sheer gorge, which provided one of the best defense imaginable. The city's three gates were composed of massive stone, each five feet thick and towering over thirty feet high. As a result, the gates could only be opened by skilled earthbenders who guarded its only entrance. The city itself was built on a number of hills with the Palace sitting on the tallest hill.

Sokka and Katara looked in awe at the city. They did not have anything like that in the south pole. Buildings that did not melt... Aang hurried to the city but for safety reasons the waterbender thought better to hide his identity as the Avatar. So they used some of Appa's shed fur to make him a wig and a mustache and he adopted a fake old man's voice, crouching slightly and using his staff as a walking stick. Sokka remarked he looked just like his grandfather, although whether it was sarcastic or not still remains a mystery. Katara noted that technically Aang **was **112-year-old. The airbender also complained about the itchiness of the fur and asked Appa how he could live in this. Appa merely snorted at him in response.

The three humans left the bison here and walked down to the city. The airbender excitedly told his friends that they were gonna love Omashu as the people here were the friendliest in the world. As they approached they noticed the guards giving a merchant trouble for trying to bring "rotten cabbages" in. They earthbended the cart and made it fall – along with all its cabbages – into the gorge below, making the poor man scream "Noooo! My cabbages!"

"Just keep smiling." The Avatar said, plastering a smile on his own face. The waterbender and her brother followed him, their smiles much tenser. The guard who had just obliterated the cart walked forward to meet Aang. He earthbended a huge boulder out of the ground and held it above the small visitor, ordering him to state his business. The Avatar rushed forward out from under the rock in a move much too sprightly for his supposed age and points an accusing finger at the guard and using his old man voice begins to speak.

"My business is my business, young man, and none of yours! I've got half a mind to bend you over my knee and paddle your backside!"

The guard dropped the stone behind Aang in surprise. Katara and Sokka were both terrified at what their friend was doing.

"Settle down, old timer. Just tell me who you are."

"Name's Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis, the Third, and these are my grandkids."

"Hi, June Pipinpadaloxicopolis. Nice to meet you." Katara introduced herself with a sincere smile.

"You seem like a responsible young lady. See that your grandfather stays out of trouble. Enjoy Omashu!" The guard pointed at her.

"We will." She replied. The guard motioned them to pass. The three walked forward into the city with Sokka trailing. When the latter's shoulder was grabbed.

"Wait a minute! You're a strong young boy. Show some respect for the elderly and carry your grandfather's bag."

"Good idea!" Aang exclaimed, throwing his bag to Sokka. Although he did not really act like a proper grandfather, he did seem to enjoy the situation. The three gates, which were indeed part of the walls, were slid open using earthbending. The gates began to close again as the three humans moved to pass through it. And just as his vision of the "grandfather" was obscured, the guard saw, with surprise and wonder, (Momo's) strange ears emerge from the white wig. They were inside the city, with all its houses with roofs painted in Earth Kingdom green, and its chutes with crates and packages sliding along them. Omashu's famous mail delivery system, consisting of miles of tubes and chutes to send packages through the city using earthbending and gravity. With a mischievous smile, the airbender explained that Bumi had found a much better use of this system...

A young boy with spiky red hair tied with a headband was looking out over the city where he was joined by Aang. The boy, Bumi, had a missing tooth and a slightly insane facial expression. Bumi told him to look around him and asked him what he saw.

"Umm the mail system?" Aang replied, stating the obvious. He did not see where his friend was going.

"Instead of seeing what they want you to see, you gotta open your brain to the possibilities." Bumi said conspiratorially.

"A package sending system?" The airbender slightly changed his original answer.

"The world's greatest super slide!" Bumi spread his arms, showing the chutes, which now indeed appeared more like giant slides, grinning widly.

"Bumi, you're a mad genius!" Aang told his friend, excited and respectful at the same time. Both had always been fun-lovers and makers, but with just a first glance, Bumi would see more and deeper than most people. The red haired boy laughed and snorted. They boarded a transport bin and rocketed down the slide.

And now Aang, Katara and Sokka were at the same place in the city where Aang and Bumi had been a hundred years ago. The three were the top of the slide, sitting in a teetering transport bin. Aang was excited as before, contrary to the other two who looked quite leery.

"One ride, then we're off to the North Pole, Airbender's honor." The Avatar promised.

"This sounded like fun at first, but now that I'm here, I'm starting to have second thoooooouuuuuuuughts!" Before Katara could properly finish her sentence, the bin had dropped into the intimidatingly vertical chute and was now rocketing down. They could have been killed by a rack of spears that had ended up behind them after the merging with a neighbouring chute if Aang had not made their own bin derail and freefall onto a rooftop below. Just then, a group of Earth Kingdom soldiers were being addressed by an officer.

"Men, you'll be going off to combat soon. It's important that you be prepared for anything."

At this moment, the bin with the group fell in-between them, shocKing the audience. Aang had grabbed the front of the bin trying to pull it up using his airbending, his foot in Katara's face and Sokka panicking in the back. The airbender propelled the bin back into the air and back into a chute and where they rocketed down once again. Misinterpreting Katara's suggestion to use his airbending (to go slower) Aang used it to go faster. The inhabitants were looking at them in alarm until they reached an off-load point. The children screamed and collided with a bin right in front of an earthbender. The impact forced them out of track and out of the bin. Everything was falling freely. Aang airbended everyone back into the bin which bounced off a few roofs and into a man's work room, destroying his pottery and out the window opposite the one they came in. They dropped into someone's living room and slid through their house, crashed through the wall of the balcony and dropped again, screaming. And they crashed down into a cabbage stall, destroying it, and spilling all the vegetables. Stall that belonged to the same merchant who had had his cart and cabbages destroyed by the gate guards. The children landed in a heap, Aang's disguise gone.

"My cabbages! You're gonna pay for this!"

"Two cabbages please." Aang said sheepishly as they were surrounded by guards.

They were taken to the King's large throne chamber, decorated in shades of Earth Kingdom green. The aged monarch was sitting on his throne in the distance and wearing the same crazy expression as the boy in Aang's memory. The guards forced the three juveniles to kneel and said they had been arrested for vandalism, travelling under false pretences, and malicious destruction of cabbages. The merchant wanted off with their heads but the guard ordered him to keep quiet as only the King could pass down judgement. However, to everyone's surprise – and the merchant's chagrin –, the old man commanded to throw them a feast!

The three youngsters were sitting at one end of the medium-sized food-covered table while the King was standing behind them. He took Aang's chicken drumstick and offered it to him but the boy refused it as he did not eat meat, so he stuck it in Sokka's mouth as he was sure he liked meat. And apparently, Sokka did find it tasty. Katara thought the guy's crown a little crooked. The Lord took his seat at the other end of the table and asked the 'young bald one' where he might be from. Aang invented a place that he called Kangaroo Island.

"Oh, Kangaroo Island, eh? I hear that place is really hoppin!" The old man cracked. Sokka was the only one to laugh. His friends looked at him as if he had grown a third head. He justified himself saying it was pretty funny. The King yawned. "Well, all these good jokes are making me tired. Guess it's time to the hay." As he ended his sentence, he suddenly threw another drumstick at Aang who out of reflex airbended it to a standstill. The guards drew breath in shock.

"There's an airbender in our presence and not just any airbender, the Avatar!" The King stood. "Aang dropped the drumstick, trying to act like he had not just revealed himself. "Now what do you have to say for yourself, Mr. Pipinpadaloxicopolis?" The Lord taunted.

"Okay! You caught me. I'm the Avatar, doing my Avatar thing, keeping the world safe. Everything checks out." The Avatar checked under the table. "No firebenders here. So, good work everybody." He put his arms around his companions and together they stood. "Love each other, respect all life and don't run with your spears. We'll see you next time!" The three had been walking backwards to the door, trying an innocent escape but were stopped by the guards.

"You can't keep us here. Let us leave." The waterbender said bravely.

"Lettuce leaf?" The King picked up a lettuce leaf from the plate in front of him and took a bite. Sokka thought he was nuts. Now serious, the old Lord announced that the next day, the Avatar was going to face three deadly challenges but for now the guards were going to show them to their room. There was an argument between the guard and the liege about a bad room, a good room, and a newly refurbished room.

The three youngsters were taken to a newly refurbished room, spacious, beautiful, and comfortable, but without door or window. A room that could only be entered and left by using earthbending, like most rooms in this palace... It might have been quite nice for a prison cell, but it did not change the fact that they were prisoners. They wondered about the challenges and a way to get out of here. It was then that the airbender noticed the air vent. Of course, they course, they could not leave through here, but Momo could, or so he thought. The lemur was sprawled on a bed, belly completely gorged and still licking a partly eaten apple. Aang stuffed the animal face first into the vent and pushed but to no avail, and Momo's behind was left dangling. He was stuck. Sokka doubted Appa could save them but the boy was confident that as a ten-ton flying bison, he could figure something out. But as Katara said: no use arguing now. They all went to bed.

Aang woke up to the sound of the 'door' being opened by an earthbender. But when he opened his eyes, his friends were gone. The guard told him the King would free them if he completed his challenges but he did not say what would happen if he failed. The boy was asked to give his staff, which he did, and led back to the throne room.

First, the King asked him a strange question: what did he think of his new outfit? Aang stared blankly at the robes weaved with several shades of purple and outlined with fur. It was obviously not exactly to his liking.

"I guess... It's fine." He replied nonetheless, scratching his bald head. The aged Lord praised him for having passed the first test, giving the child a false hope as it was not a deadly test. The real ones would be much more challenging. Now angry, Aang airbended himself in front of King and demanded his friends back. They did not have time for his crazy games. They were leaving. But the old one had expected it. In a wall at their side a door was opened to reveal Sokka and Katara held by guards who put rings on one of their fingers. The rings constricted and the teens could not take them off, no matter how much they struggled. The King explained those rings were made of jennamite, known as creeping crystals that grew remarkably fast until they covered the entire body, which would happen by nightfall in their cases. He could take them off, but only if the Avatar cooperated. The ring had already started creeping up Sokka's finger. Aang had no choice but to agree.

They went to a huge cavern whose floor was covered in stalagmites. There was a waterfall spouting down from the ceiling. The King, the guards and the prisoners were standing on a balcony. Crystal already covered the forearms of both. In a laugh, the seemingly crazy man told the Avatar he had lost his lunch box key and was hungry. The key was hanging by a long chain in the middle of the waterfall. A ladder reached up from the ground of the cavern to about where the key was dangling. Of course he had to go fetch it.

Aang jumped into action. Using his airbending skills he bouced from stalagmite to stalagmite and charged into the waterfall, holding his breath, and began to climb the ladder until the force of the water shot him out. He was nearly impaled but recovered between two stalagmites, one foot on each.

"Oooh, climbing the ladder. No one's thought of that before." The Lord said sarcastically.

The airbender tried another approach. This time he flew up to the stalactites on the ceiling and was soon looking down at the key. He concentrated, jumped into the waterfall, and was shot right back out, managing once more to grab onto a stalagmite. The crystal was now covering their arm up to the shoulder.

"That's right. Keep diving head in, I'm sure it'll work eventually." The King said with that same sarcastic tone. This gave Aang an idea. He broke off the top of the stalagmite he was holding and threw it at the chain holding the key. Using his airbending skills he hurtled a wind blade breaking off the water current and the chain. The tip of the stalagmite embedded itself like a spearhead into the top of the doorway, the key dangling just over the surprised King's head. Once more the Avatar angrily demanded to have his friends back. The man innocently replied that he needed help with another matter. It seemed he had lost his pet Flopsie.

Aang landed in the middle of a shallow arena meant to replicate a typical natural environment with its vegetation and rocky areas. He had landed behind a large bunny with long droopy ears that was sitting on a rock. The boy said he had found him. The King ordered to bring him to him.

"Come here, Flopsy!" The Avatar cooed. The boy turned around to face a huge horned monster that had silently landed behind him while the bunny squeaked and ran off. The monster crushed a huge boulder in front of Aang (who would have been crushed had he not dodged by flipping backwards). He ran after the squealing bunny crying "Flopsy, wait! Flopsy! Flopsy!" while the monster chased him. The liege was cackling maniacally. The bunny ran into a rabbit hole in the wall of the arena. Aang slid up next to it and stuck his hand in the hole, rummaging around but finding nothing. The monster was closing in. Aang had another idea. He stood up and faced the monster.

"Flopsy?"

The monster stopped instantly and wagged its tail. To the boy's surprise, Flopsy picked him up tenderly, making gentle noises and gave him a huge lick.

"Flopsy!" The airbender exclaimed, rubbing the beast's head. Flopsy let Aang go and scaled the arena wall in response to its owner's whistling and kissing noises. He flopped on his back in front of the King who doted on him, rubbing his belly as his left leg pawed the ground in pleasure. Aang jumped up onto the railing of the arena and asked his companions if they were okay.

"Other than the crystal slowly encasing my entire body? Doing great!" Katara replied cheerfully and sarcastically. She was covered from head to ankle in crystal. At her left, Sokka was in similar straits. A new length of crystal grew on the left side of his head, making him lose his balance and keel over. The Avatar turned back toward the King. He was ready for the next challenge, much to the old man's pleasure.

Everyone went to an earthbending arena which consisted of a dirt floor and rocks protruding here and there. There were three balconies: a big one in the middle and a small one on either side of it. The Lord was in the middle one with Aang while the prisoners were together on their left along with their guards. The third and final test would be a duel. He was allowed to choose his opponent but also warned to choose wisely. Two gladiator-type characters came up to flank their liege. One was lean with a nasty smile, his main weapon like a sickle mounted on a halberd, and the other was uncommonly muscular and had a giant axe. Probably taking him for a frail old man, Aang pointed at the King.

"Wrong choice." The Lord of Omashu said with a smile as he straightened his lumped posture and dumped his robes like shedding a shell, revealing a surprisingly muscular and nervous body. He stomped his bare foot, the balcony cracked and the rock suddenly shot up below Aang, blowing him far out in the arena. With a single jump, the King landed in front of the fearful boy and laughed evilly, claiming to be the most powerful earthbender he will ever see. The Avatar tried to see if he could fight the guy with the axe instead but there was no take-backsies in that man's Kingdom. The earthbending master motioned for a guard who threw Aang's staff back at him, and the real fight began.

The King lost no time and immediately launched several boulders that the boy dodged, but his opponent taunted him for using such a predictable airbender tactic. As they fought, the Lord of Omashu continued to taunt Aang for his unwillingness to fight back. The earthbender launched another stone that missed, but exploded upon impacting the ceiling of the arena. The debris knocked the airbender to the ground, making him lose his staff. The King repeatedly made huge pillars of rock block Aang's path. One of them catches the Avatar in the gut as it rose into the air. The boy jumped off the pillar, riding one of his famous airballs, and rode the wall of the arena, approaching the King from his right. He launched a huge gale at his opponent, who blocked it with a sheet of stone raised from the floor of the arena. The leader of Omashu taunted him about the ineffectiveness of such attacks.

The airball disappeared and the King kicked over the stone sheet, raised it on earth dug out of the arena's surface and shot the earth underneath the stone sheet like a wave that knocked Aang over. The Lord struck the ground with his fist, sending a shock wave in a line surface right at Aang. It was as if a line of tiny explosion that had made shin-length pillars rise up. The Avatar flipped backwards and avoided the attack, mostly meant to destabilize him and jumped again, recuperating his staff. But now He was close to the rear wall of the arena. The earthbending master taunted him again: what could he do from so far away?

With a determined look, Aang lunged at the King who used the side of his foot to dash the earth, making the ground around the boy become quicksand where he got bogged. The earthbender raised two boulders and sent them to smash the struggling Avatar who escaped just in time as the rocks smashed together. The airbender unleashed a blast of wind that knocked his opponent and the stone sheet he was standing upon back against the wall of the arena. The King raised one of the boulders from the other end of the arena and pulled it back towards him at frightening speed to crush Aang from behind, but the Avatar saw the danger just in time and did a backflip that barely allowed him to get up and over the flying boulder, which moved on to almost crush the King who broke it into many pieces as it reached him. With tremendous effort, the master tore the entire gate area of the arena out of the ground. Aang screamed in terror and ran in circles, creating a tornado. The Lord hurtled the massive earth mound, which got caught in the tornado's current and was propelled back at him. As it reached him, the King neatly bisected it. The Avatar appeared between the two rock pieces and pinned the King with his staff who smiled and looked up. Aang also looked up as a tiny piece of rock bounced off his bald head. Overhead one of the two halves of the rock was hovering, ready to crush them both...

The King congratulated him: he had fought well, with much fire in his heart. He threw the rock to the side of the arena and fell backwards into the floor, disappearing and leaving a human shaped hole and a flabbergasted Aang. A hole opened up in the floor of the balcony besides the prisoners from which the master emerged, the hole closing instantly beneath him. The child used his staff and airbending to join them. Now that he had passed all the tests, he still had to answer one question. Aang complained about the unfairness of the situation, but as the King said: "what's the point of tests if you don't learn anything?" He would free his friends after he answered the question: "What is my name?" And he left after reminding the boy that he only had a few minutes, by the look of those friends' state.

However, Aang was clueless about that person's name. Katara advised him – her tone a little tense and pressing... – to think about the challenges and suggested it might be a riddle.

"I got it!" Sokka suddenly exclaimed.

"Yeah?" The Avatar asked, hopeful.

"He's an earthbender, right? Rocky!" There was a long silence, followed by a cough in the background. "You know, because of all the rocks?"

Aang thought back about the challenges. All had been different that expected. They were not straightforward. In order to solve them he had to think differently than he usually would. And then he remembered. He knew his name. They went to the throne room where the King was waiting, hunched in his regular green robes.

"I solved the question the same way I solved the challenges. As you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to the possibilities." The Avatar said. The King began to laugh and snort, exactly like his old friend in the boy's memories. "Bumi, you're a mad genius!" Aang said with the same time as before as he ran and hugged the old King.

"Oh, Aang. It's good to see you. You haven't changed a bit. Literally." Bumi cooed affectionately, hugging his small friend back and rubbing his head.

Katara and Sokka approached still encased in crystal and reminded them of their problematic situation. The Lord used his earthbending to shatter the crystals that flew all over the place. He took a piece and explained this jennamite was actually rock candy. He took a bite and made a blissful expression. He was soon imitated by Momo. Katara was surprised that the crazy King was actually Aang's old friend Bumi. And Sokka was annoyed: why go through all this instead of just telling who he was?

"First of all, it's pretty fun messing with people," Bumi laughed and snorted again. "But I do have a reason." He turned to Aang. "Aang, you have a difficult task ahead. The world has changed in the hundred years you've been gone. It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord, and when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius!" He gave the Avatar his wisdom. The child smiled, clasped his hands together in thanks, and bowed. "And it looks like you're in good hands. You'll need your friends to help defeat the Fire Nation." Momo jumps onto Aang's shoulder. "And you'll need Momo too."

The last airbender thanked him for his wisdom, but before they left, Aang had a last challenge for him...  
And not long later, the Avatar and the King of Omashu were together in a bin rocketing down the chutes of the mail system like little kids. Both were having a blast as the air was rushing by them. And then there was an explosion and a plume of dust and smoke rose in the air.

"My cabbages!" A merchant cried in anguish.

The next day at the gate of Piandao's castle, the master and the girl were there, facing each other. She was ready to leave. She bowed and thanked him deeply for everything. While of course she was not entirely satisfied, it was more than what she could have hoped. She still needed to work on her stamina and brute strength, but training with that person, she had regained a good part of her former agility, swiftness, reflexes as well as her resourcefulness. Her body was remembering how to fight. Everything was coming back to her. That was what she needed. And by regaining some of her fighting ability, she had also regained some confidence in herself and the future. She could protect them with her own hands, she would not hold them back. She had also properly rested and fed, and asked some insane food orders to the attendant – Fat – in response to his annoying uptight and condescending personality, to what Piandao would generally agree. And she had meditated, done some calligraphy, and played some music. She had learned about her new self.

She offered her sincerest apologies for not being able to stay longer, which she deeply regretted, but she had something to do. She could not even stay for dinner. Chenlian left, walking down the path under Piandao's watch.

The arrogant little girl, too direct and aggressive, had grown into a beautiful, mature, strong and independent young woman. Her all too honest and straightforward personality might cause her some problems but she had at least learned to temper that a little. She certainly still had that habit of jumping into trouble without regard for her position, what depended of her or those she would leave behind in order to save other people, and especially people she liked. But she had become shrewd and level-headed enough to avoid most problems. And although it was not particularly evident, all the harsh trials had left their mark on her, in her eyes, her expressions, her movements, her countenance, the 'atmosphere' around her... She had gained experience and wisdom beyond those of normal teenagers. He had noticed it as soon as he had gazed at her and could only confirm it during those few days. Ever since that time, that girl had kept fighting every single day in order to survive and stay herself. Now she had decided on her path. It was not an easy one, but that was still the one she had chosen. And she was going to keep walking forward to the very end, even if she had to fight her way through hundreds of enemies or struggle through bogs and briars. She would no longer waver or hesitate because that was the decision she had taken. Well, that was only if some particular factor did not come to shake her up. Although that probability was small and difficult to see through... it definitely existed.


	8. Rebellion - courage comes from caring

**Fight ****08: Rebellion - Courage comes from Caring**

Under the canopy of an Earth Kingdom forest, Aang and Katara were sitting on a natural stone patio. A noisy little stream exited the ground from underneath the stone ledge. Katara was folding her sleeping bag while Aang was lying in the exposed roots of an overturned tree when Sokka walked up to them, holding a bag. It was meal time and they were discussion the options. They could choose between round nuts and some kind of oval shaped nuts, and some rock shaped nuts that might just be rocks. Unfortunately, it was not a joke: that was all he had found. He threw a nut that might be a rock over his shoulder. Momo cautiously examined it and picked it up before lightly tapping it against a rock, to no effect. Then he hit it hard. The shock coursed through the lemur's body instead of breaking the nut that was certainly a rock. At the same moment, a huge, startling noise disrupted the forest's calm. Everyone looked up in surprise. Momo blinked and this time carefully dropped the stone. Once more, the earth and forest shook and rumbled. Scared, the lemur ran away while Aang and Katara, curious, went to investigate the source of the noise... to Sokka's damn who believed people should run away from huge booms, not toward them.

They stumbled upon a young earthbender – about their age – who was practicing his art in the almost dried up river bed. The two benders wanted to go meet him, but again Sokka was for a more wary approach. His sister completely ignored him and cheerfully introduced herself. However, before she could finish, the young man ran away with a fearful expression on his handsome face. Aang suggested going after him as there was probably a village nearby, with a market in that village which – Katara understood immediately – meant no nuts for dinner. They ran excitedly after the earthbender, followed by Momo, and then Sokka after a little complaining about the time and work he had wasted. Food first, pride after.

They arrived in a medium-sized settlement nestled in a steep valley where Aang traded nuts for a hat. The waterbender saw the young man from earlier enter a store. Inside, the boy, Haru, apologised to his mother for being late, his green eyes downcast, his long brown bangs slightly covering the sides of his face. As his mother was telling him to start on his chores, Katara came in, recognized him, and asked why he had run away. He tried to tell her it must have been a mistake but Aang came to his friend's help, they had seen him earthbend. Both the mother and young man gasped and quickly shut the door and window. The old woman berated him: he knew that was dangerous and what would happen if they caught him earthbending.

Suddenly, a heavy knock was heard on the door. It was Fire Nation soldiers. Haru's mother opened the door and a soldier entered and looked around the youngsters in the shop caught freeze-frame in the midst of some very unconvincing normal poses. The top of the barrel that Aang was leaning upon shifted and his hand plunged into the water up to his shoulder. The soldier stared at him blankly. Such stupidity was below his concern.

"What do you want? I've already paid you this week." The woman said defiantly.

"The tax just doubled." The Fire Nation footman explained. "Wouldn't want an accident, would we?" He taunted with a smile, producing a fireball in his hands. Everyone took a step back from him. "Fire is sometimes so hard to control..." He trailed off meaningfully. The mother's expression melted from defiance to fear and resignation. She placed a small chest on a table and opened it to reveal a few miserable coins. She gave most of them to the soldier who disdainfully dumped some on the ground saying she could keep the copper ones. The soldier left. The young ones were visibly upset. Haru's parent picked up the copper pieces, explaining that the Fire Nation had been there for five years, using this town's coal mines to fuel the Fire Lord's ships.

"They're thugs; they steal from us, and everyone here is too much of a coward to do anything about it." Haru interjected resentfully, leaning against the counter. His mother chided him again for speaking like that. Katara objected that Haru was an earthbender, he could help. The older woman informed them (her tone slightly harsh) that earthbending was forbidden and had brought nothing but misery. He must never use his abilities. The girl tried to reason again: Haru had a gift, asking him not to earthbend was like asking her not to waterbend. But she did not really understand. What could they do to her that they had not done already?

"They could take Haru away! Like they took his father." The woman retorted vehemently. She could endure pain, poverty or humiliation but not having her loved ones taken away. Katara stared back, wide-eyed. Haru averted his face, hanging his head and closing his eyes. Both the water- and earthbender had pained expressions.

He took them to the outbuildings of a farm in the surrounding hillside. They entered a barn-like structure. It was late afternoon. The woman had allowed them to stay there for the night, but they would have to leave the next morning.

"Thanks. I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all your hay." Aang said happily. Appa was already there, his mouth stuffed with hay. He looked over at Aang, stopped chewing for a few seconds, and then started chewing again. Once they had settled, Haru and Katara went for a walk. The girl apologised for earlier as she did not know about his father.

"That's ok. It's funny, the way you were talking back in the store, it reminded me of him." The young man replied. He told her how courageous his father was: when the Fire Nation had invaded, he and the other earthbenders were being outnumbered ten to one, but had fought back anyway. After the attack, the enemy had rounded up his father and every other earthbender and taken them away. He had not seen them since. That was why he would hide his earthbending. The problem was that the only way he could feel close to his father now was when he would practice his bending. He had taught him everything he knew.

Katara and Haru had walked up onto the crest of a small hill that overlooked the surrounding countryside. The boy had knelt down and begun twirling some small stones while speaking about his father. When he was done, he turned the stones to sand in his fist, which fell through his fingers and was blown by the wind. Katara came up and sat at his side. She pointed to her necklace.

"See this necklace? My mother gave it to me."

"It's beautiful."

"I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her."

"It's not enough, is it?"

"No."

Katara and Haru sat on the hill for some time, simply feeling how alike they were, the bond they shared of having lost a parent to the Fire Nation, the sadness, loneliness, emptiness they had in common, and how close that made them. The fading glory of the setting sun was visible in the space between them. Then they walked down a path towards an open mine entrance some way ahead. A boom was heard and rocks and dust came out of the mine entrance. The sound of an old man crying for help and probably hurt could be heard. They rushed to the mine. The man had been half buried by the cave in. They tried to help but could not do anything and they had no time to call for someone. Katara urged him to use his earthbending, which he did, no matter how reluctantly. It was to save a man.

It was night_. _Momo was sitting in the window of the outbuilding on Haru's farm before jumping on Aang's back who was lying belly down on Appa's head, looking at Katara.

"It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to help that old man." The waterbender said, touched and impressed. He was really a kind youth who cared about his countrymen.

"You must have really inspired him." Aang voiced his opinion.

"I guess so."

"Everyone should get some sleep. We're leaving at dawn." Sokka told them firmly. He was lying on piled bales of hay.

"Dawn? Can't we sleep in for once?" His sister complained.

"Absolutely not! This village is crawling with Fire Nation troops. If they discover you're here, Aang, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Good night."

"I'd rather eat fireballs than nuts." Katara taunted with a sly grin.

"Good night." Sokka repeated in a final tone. The two benders laughed, and Katara blew out the lamp.

A few hours later, Fire Nation troops were walking along a path leading to Haru's farm, lamps on polls swinging back and forth as they marched. The soldier (extortionist) from the previous day was leading the column. He knocked and the door opened to reveal Haru who gasped in surprise. The old man who he had saved was there too, pointing an accusatory finger at him, saying that **he** was the earthbender. The soldier pushed the old man out of the way and grabbed Haru.

The next morning at dawn, Katara went to the water pump, put down her pot, and instead of working the pump, bended its water into her jar. Satisfied, she picked up the recipient but as she turned to go back to her friends, she noticed Haru's mother looking out over the farm. She turned and tears fell. Her eyes wide, realizing instantly the meaning of those tears, Katara dropped her water pot which shattered on the ground. She ran inside where the others were packing their gear. She was tearing at her hair in guilt and anguish.

"They took him! They took Haru away!"

"What?"

"The old man turned him in to the Fire Nation. It's all my fault, I forced him into earthbending!" She was panicking. Her brother told her to slow down and asked her when that happened while putting his arm around her shoulder and holding her hand in genuine concern. "Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight."

"Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone." Her brother dropped his hand.

"We don't need to track him. The Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru."

"And why would they do that?" Clueless as to what his kind friend could have in her head.

"Because they're going to arrest me for earthbending." The waterbender replied, more determined than ever. It was her fault Haru had been arrested, it was her responsibility to save him.

Some time later, the siblings could be seen rolling a boulder onto an air grate as part of their plan to fake earthbending. There were ventilation shafts throughout the mines, all Aang had to do was send an air current from the vent in front of him to this one right here below the boulder which would levitate, creating the illusion that it was an earthbender's doing. They confirmed the strategy with Aang who was hiding behind a rock and absentmindedly playing with a butterfly under Momo's careful watch and telling them to relax as they were taking all the fun out it (yes, he actually thought it was fun to intentionally get captured by an army of ruthless firebenders). When Fire Nation soldiers arrived, Katara and Sokka faked an argument before saying they would solve this 'earthbending style'. She assumed a mock earthbending stance. There was a moment of embarrassed silence. The boulder she was supposed to bend was still sitting on its grate.

"I said, earthbending style!" She repeated angrily. Aang finally reacted and bended air into the grate, making the boulder levitate and revealing Momo behind it in a position resembling a real earthbender's stance.

"That lemur! It's earthbending!" A soldier exclaimed, incredulous, and pointing at Momo.

"No, you idiot! It's the girl!" Sokka yelled back.

"Oh, of course." The soldier replied, embarrassed. And so, Katara was captured and taken to the port where she boarded a ship and the ship transported her and other earthbenders to a prison rig far off-shore, a brown sackcloth over her blue robe. The two guys followed her on Appa until they saw the rig before returning to the village. She had twelve hours to find Haru. Then, they would come back to fetch her.

On the same day, a few hours earlier, Chenlian had landed on another island. Piandao had given her money and food but she preferred saving them. She fished a little in the sea, dug out some clams on the beach and barbecued the whole, savouring a raw tomato while it was cooking with an apple and some berries she had found for dessert.

The Jang Hui river was once a beautiful and mighty river. However, a smelting factory was built upon it. The cooling system provided by the river water helped in the production of a tough new metal. And as a result, tons of pollutants were dumped each day in the river, ravaging or mutating the wildlife and riddling the locals with illnesses... or so the girl learned and devised when she arrived at the Jang Hui village, built on stilts in the middle of the river. Luckily she had eaten already, having caught her fish in the sea on the other side from where the polluted river was flowing into the sea. But she would have liked to buy some proper food in this town. She did not want to eat such things, but the only place where there was proper food was that factory. She looked around. Those were Fire Nation people. But they were also victims of the war. Not only the people but the whole eco-system. Wherever she looked there was pollution, extreme poverty, and resigned faces. And looking at the factory, an idea formed in her mind. She shouldn't be doing something like that, she shouldn't be wasting time helping people who did nothing to help themselves, and she shouldn't be doing something that could reveal her identity to the Fire Army and yet she could not help it. That might have been the best option but she just was not the type to do nothing and leave. She just could not ignore people in such need. What else, there would be food for her and the village, there would be medicine, and she would slow down the progress of the war, even just a tiny little bit. However, they would certainly blame the villagers and destroy their homes. Unless... no, there was a way! It might only be temporary measure, it might be dangerous, but it was better than doing nothing. And she had a way to keep her identity hidden.

On the rig, the earthbenders were warmly and courteously welcomed by their warden's over-the-top sarcasm and hypocrisy.

"Earthbenders, it is my pleasure to welcome you aboard my modest shipyard. I am your warden. I prefer to think of you not as prisoners, but as honored guests, and I hope you come to think of me as your humble and caring host. You will succeed here if you simply abide." He began with a malicious smile, an affected tone, and a self-important look, obviously considering the prisoners as nothing more than dirt for him to trample on. The briefing was interrupted by a guest's cough. The Warden's look hardened instantly and he leaped away from them and fired a plume of flame at the coughing prisoner's feet. The targeted man jumped backwards. "What kind of guest dishonors his host by interrupting him!? Take him below!" The guardian bellowed, infuriated, before continuing quietly. "One week in solitary will improve his manners." He put his face up to Katara's, but he was still speaking to the group. "Simply treat me with the courtesy I give you and we'll get along famously. You will notice, earthbenders, that this rig is made entirely of metal. You are miles away from any rock or earth, so if you have any illusions about employing that brutish savagery that passes for bending among you people, forget them. It is impossible. Good day." When the warden was finished, the prisoners were led to an open area where hopeless and forlorn prisoners were roaming around.

There, Haru and Katara met again. The young man was quite surprised to see her here and impressed that she had the guts to get herself arrested so she could find him and rescue him. Yet, he was smiling. He introduced her to his father Tyro who offered her a meal – as bad as it was. Another prisoner came to consult with him about the lack of blankets and Tyro recommended him to make sure the elderly were taken care of while the rest would have to wait for warmer weather. Tyro was obviously some kind of leader among the prisoners. And so Katara asked about his escape plan to get everyone out the rig. But there was nothing like that. The only plan was to survive. Do nothing and wait out this war, merely hoping that someday, someone will save them, so they could forget this had ever happened. As the girl pointed out, it sounded like they had already given up. The old envied her courage and youth, but there were people's lives at stake. The warden was ruthless and did not take kindly to rebellion. They could not do anything. They were powerless.

With grim determination, Katara stood up and walked on a little platform. Once she had everyone's attention, she started talking. She had grown up hearing tales of the brave Earth Kingdom and its courageous earthbenders. The Fire Nation might have taken away their bender, making them think they were powerless, but they couldn't have taken away their courage that should run deeper than any mine they had been forced to dig or the ocean that kept them away from home. It was the strength of their hearts that made them who they were, hearts that would remain unbroken when all rock and stone had eroded away. She called them to remember their courage and fight for their freedom. The Avatar had returned.

However her expression soon faded from strength and determination to sadness and despair. The prisoners had turned away from her and were ignoring her. Even Haru had hung his head in shame and desperation. Their pride and hearts had been utterly crushed. The warden who had come to see what was happening left with a smile. He knew it was useless no matter what that girl would do or say. And night fell on that place of desolation.

In the middle of the night, Chenlian's body was concealed in a maroon outfit, her mahogany hair hidden by a hood held in place by the half mask of the Dragon Empress, a character of a nostalgic play. She had won that mask in the Fire Fountain City permanent fair with a bunch of other stuff. It was a game where you had to throw knives to cut strings holding bags with unknown prizes. She snuck into the factory, and in several times, stole all the food and medicine she could and hid them away before doing her sabotage work, using her sword and firebending to destroy strategic pipes and taps that would cause explosions. Once she was finished, she took part of the food for herself and gave the rest to the villagers before going back to her camp. Then, she changed again and put her mask back on. A number of disguises were a necessity for people on the run. She was going to play an interesting game. And her form erect, her arms crossed, firmly waited for the angry and vengeance-driven Fire Army to come.

Little before dawn, Aang infiltrated the prison rig to fetch Katara. They joined Sokka, Momo, and Appa at the edge of the rig's main platform. It was time to get out of here but the waterbender was refusing to go. She was not giving up on those people. There had to be a way to help them. Sokka insisted but his sister was unyielding and he had to give in. While they went back inside the rig to hide, Appa flew off and was seen by soldiers who warned the warden. The chief official of the prison asked them what exactly they had seen. The captain answered a flying bison, the other guard a giant flying buffalo with an empty saddle. Their superior demanded which it was, a bison or a buffalo. The captain was not sure of the difference and thought that was not really the point.

"I'll decide what the point is, fool!" The warden bellowed, throwing the captain over the railing into the sea far below. He ordered the remaining guard to wake up the captain and search the entire rig. The soldier reminded him uneasily that it was the captain he had thrown overboard. "Then wake up someone I haven't thrown overboard and search the rig! There's somethi0ng going on here and I don't like it."

Aang, Katara and Sokka were hiding, crouching among boxes on a loading dock. Momo was there too. The airbender thought about making a hurricane so the warden would run away and they'd steal his keys. Idea that was crushed by Sokka: he'd just run away with his keys. Katara wanted a way to help the earthbenders help themselves. For that they would need earth or rocks to bend, but the entire rig was made of metal. It was then that Aang noticed the smoke rising from the smokestacks. They were burning coal, in other words, earth.

Katara and Sokka returned to the prisoner deck area where they were looking down into an enormous ventilation shaft capped by a grate similar to the ones seen earlier near the mine. It was nearly dawn. The girl doubted this mission would be successful but her brother reassured her. They were going to use the same trick from back at the village, just on a much larger scale: there was a huge deposit of coal at the base of the silo, and the whole system was ventilated. If Aang closed off all the vents except one, the airbended coal would have only one place to go: right back here.

Suddenly they were surrounded by six Fire Nation soldiers pointing their spears at them and prisoners, including Haru and his father who distressfully urged Katara to stop as she could not win this fight. Haru was shocked and distraught, but in the same time conflicted, pleading and hopeful. The girl had the same expression. Both reaching at the other with their heart and eyes but unable to take a step or make the other take a step. The warden advised her to listen to him well: she was one mistake away from dying where she stood. The soldiers were closing in when air rushed out of the grate, followed by black pebbles and a living river of coal erupted from the grate and shot high into the air over the deck, blasting the grate away. The warden and his soldiers were clearly shocked. The coal landed in a massive pile between the earthbenders and the firebenders, followed by Aang who landed on the black rocks, covered in coal dust. He coughed it off as Katara ran up to the top of the coal.

"Here's your chance, earthbenders!" She grabbed a lump of coal and raised it high. "Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" She offered. Haru moved forward, but Tyro stopped him. The prisoners were shrinking backward, fearing conflict. Katara was still holding her stone. The warden's contemptuous laugh echoed.

"Foolish girl! You thought a few inspirational words and some coal would change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces..." He taunted, his arms crossed. The imprisoned hung their heads in shame and submission. "Their spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh? But you still believe in them?" He continued disdainfully. Katara lowered the coal, her expression once more turning into despair. "How sweet. They're a waste of your energy, little girl. You've failed."

As expected, the Fire Army came to blame the villagers for the destruction of the factory and stealing of food. Everyone had been gathered when thick clouds of mist hid a part of the village and a form walked out of it. Chenlian had heated the surface enough to cause evaporation. The villagers split in the middle and stepped backward ceremoniously as a single female in flowing and richly decorated golden cloths with the mask of the Dragon Empress, starkly contrasting with the poverty of this village, stepped forward. There was so much pride and dignity, so much charisma and authority to her, like a queen revealed in all her wrath and majesty that the soldiers stood in awe for a moment before recovering and demanding who she was. Warriors pointed their weapons at her but she ignored them. She raised her hand and pointed an accusatory finger at them.

"Murderers... assassins... who are willing to slay innocent people, fellow countrymen, fellow humans... you who mindlessly come and destroy your own nation, you who go and destroy the world... you who are too blind to see that walking this path will only lead you to your own destruction... what will you do when nothing is left to destroy? Stop this folly now and begone! If you don't leave now..." The female spoke with both imperiousness and imperiality. She was radiating nobility. She unsheathed her sword and sharply swung it horizontally and the boat at her right exploded along with the few sea scooter/jet ski that were near it. Although melted in a line, the machine appeared to have been cut. The superheated air and fuel inside had instantly expanded in volume, blowing their containers. Then she pointed her sword at the soldiers. Some fearfully ran away but their commander's voice made most stay.

"Don't falter! Keh, I don't know what parlor tricks you're using but that'll be over soon. Attack!" He barked. Some courageous soldiers rushed at her.

"Fools." The masked lady was using her long sleeves and the panel of her flowing robes to hide part of her movements to quickly disable and throw her opponents into the river. The officer cursed the incompetence of his subordinates and decided to put an end to the enemy himself. He tried to firebend at her but she dissipated the flames with another movement of her arm. To keep her identity a secret, she would utilize her firebending skills to condense and manipulate heat without making flames. That was something she had picked up in the Earth Kingdom so she could defend herself and not be immediately chased out by Earth Kingdom villagers as soon as the fight was over. Although because of the concentration and effort required, it was not a skill she could use carelessly. And in close combat, they would feel the heat. She lunged, evaded his attacks, and in a second, had the tip of her blade against his neck.

"Those who use their powers to destroy are bound to be destroyed by a higher power. I shall not kill you, but give you another chance. Use this chance that is given you to learn humility and compassion. Now leave this place, and never come back." The female quickly and graceful twirled around, cutting the lower part of the man's cloth right below his belt and with another twirl backed from him but kept her sword pointed at him. Panels of red cloth fell, revealing his underwear. Humiliated, the officer ran, jumped on a machine and left without questions. There were rounds of applause and praise and thanks until she stopped them. This was only a temporary measure. In days, weeks, or months to come, the Fire Army would come back to cause more destruction. And she could not stay. They might be weak individually, that was why they had to stay united and fight together. She was not asking them to stand on their own against the army but to fight for the improvement of their own lives. Focusing on what they could do instead of lamenting about what they could not. This world was not sweet enough that people would help others who did not even try to help themselves. They had to take their fate into their own hands. People had to protect their land. If they lived on and from the river, they had to take care of it and keep it clean. Then the animals and everyone's health would come back, and maybe the Painted Lady too. They saw her red lips curved into a genuine smile. The old man who worked at the docks and the only shop asked her who she was.

"Just someone who wishes to uphold righteousness in any way she can." With that the girl stepped back until she reached the end of the pier, heated the river enough to make the water evaporate but not enough to make it boil, causing fog to hide the pier again and once nobody could see her, leapt and used her firebending to return to the cliffs. There, Chenlian changed into more casual clothing and decided to rest for now and leave during the night again.

Katara was standing on the coal, her shoulders slumped, defeated and lonely. The Warden turned to walk back into the rig but as he did a lump of coal hit him in the back of the head. He turned in anger. It was Haru, who had stepped forward and was twirling lumps of coal above his raised left hand, his expression severe and defiant. The Warden launched a blast of fire at the boy who braced for death, when the flames were blocked by a wall of coal. It was Tyro, in an earthbending stance, who had in turn clearly stepped forward to protect his son. The warden yelled at his men who were now in a firing line to show no mercy. And the deck soon became a battlefield. The Fire Nation line charged forward, unleashing a wall of flame. Tyro and the three nearest earthbenders, including Haru, blocked it with a huge wall of coal, absorbing the flames.

"For the Earth Kingdom, attack!" Tyro roared as he slammed the palms of his large hands on the deck along with his son and the other earthdenber, throwing the wall of coal forward towards the Fire Nation line. The soldiers deflected some of the rocks with flame. As more and more prisoners joined the rebellion, a melee ensued. The earthbenders would block fire attacks with coal shields and knock out firebenders by striking them with lumps of black rocks thrown at high speed. Heaps of burning coal was now littering the deck. In the middle of this destruction, Aang, Katara and Sokka were rushing forward with Sokka ahead cutting off the spear heads of every fire soldier blocking their path with his boomerang and throwing them upward to Momo who caught them as he flew by over them. Tyro and Haru raised a huge amount of coal from a heap and condensed it between them to create an incredibly solid and compact boulder they threw at the door of the rig, blasting a large hole into it. The impact shook the whole wall and made guards lose their footing and fall.

"Get to the ship! We'll hold them off!" Tyro yelled.

"Do not let them escape!" The warden bellowed back, rallying a few his troops and starting to barrage the exit with flames. Aang, Katara and Sokka stopped and the monk airbended a small whirlwind, the end of which was aimed at the firebenders.

"Guys, throw me some coal!"

Sokka and Katara started dropping chunks of coal into the top small vortex, which accelerated down the wind tube and were shot at high speed towards the Warden and his men who all got knocked down. Tyro and two other rebels earthbended the entire coal dump, with the Warden and all his men on it, out of the rig and over the open water.

"No, please! I can't swim!" The proud warden begged.

"Don't worry, I hear cowards float." Tyro said without a shred of mercy before dropping them all into the ocean below.

Some time later, several Fire Nation ships, now under the command of the former prisoners, were steaming away from the rig. Appa was swimming next to the point ship, Sokka and Aang on his saddle. Katara was standing with Tyro and Haru on the deck of the point ship. Looking back at the prison behind, the girl was beaming.

"I want to thank you for saving me, for saving us." Haru said softly and sincerely.

"All it took was a little coal." The waterbender denied, embarrassed.

"It wasn't the coal, Katara, it was you." The handsome boy corrected her. She looked down, touched, her cheeks red. "Thank you for helping me find my courage, Katara, of the water tribe. My family and everyone here owe you much." The father placed a strong grateful hand on her shoulder.

"So, I guess you're going home now?"

"Yes, to take back my village." Tyro raised his voice and left fist, just as Katara had done, and looked back over the ship to address the former prisoners. "To take back ALL of our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!" He declared. All the freed earthbenders cheered.

"Come with us." Haru requested with a pleading edge to his tone.

"I can't. Your mission is to take back your home. Ours is to get Aang to the North Pole." She turned to look at Aang sitting atop Appa and playing with Momo and a little chunk of coal he would airbend around. She had a smile on her face.

"That's him, isn't it? The Avatar. Katara, thank you for bringing my father back to me. I never thought I'd see him again. I only wish there was some way..."

"I know..." With a wistful expression, she reached for her necklace and started in surprise. I was no longer around her neck. "My mother's necklace! It's gone!" She panicked.

Back on the devastated prison rig, someone in a Fire Nation uniform picked up something that should not have been here: a necklace torn from the neck of its wearer, a Water Tribe necklace. Zuko, was standing there alone, wreathed in the fiery hues of the sunset. He grimly stared at the necklace in his fist before glaring at dying sun sinking down in the red sea. It had been twenty one days since he saw that pillar of light in the South Pole...

* * *

**Author's note: okay, I don't know if you've noticed but on my profile I made a little progress report thingy on my stories that'll be updated whenever there's something new. Also, Chenlian will meet up with the gang in chapter 10. stay tuned :)**


	9. Spirited away

**Fight****09: Spirited Away**

After leaving Jang Hui and flying through the night, Chenlian landed on the last stop before Crescent Island where the Fire Temple was. She raised a small camp near a river not far from the sea where she rested a little before setting out to buy a few things in the market. She saw many kids wearing uniforms, certainly because school was over for the day and it was time for them to play around, hang together, train, before going home to their parents where they would do homework such as playing the instrument of their choice or studying the Fire Nation history, learning about its greatness and that the war was just to share that greatness and all the usual propaganda...

Thinking about it, there had been a time like that for her too... a long time ago. Well, it was only a few years ago in fact but it felt like it was sometime in a past life. The Royal Academy for girls... It was not like she had any particularly good or bad memory of her time in school. Since it was for elite the girls were also educated in political and economical matters. They were trained to fight, to lead and control and be good ladies in the same time. She would always work hard and do her very best no matter the class, somehow managing to stay in the top five. Because she was a bright, conscientious student she was liked by the teachers. Because of her agreeable, understanding, and open (albeit a little conceited) personality, she was liked by her classmates. And partly because of those, partly because she had the skills and wits to rival hers, and because she actually dared to stand up to her, the princess seemed to have developed an intense dislike toward her. As a consequence, every friend Chenlian would make would end up fearfully avoiding her. But it was alright. She accepted it because she did not want to cause them trouble since that person's threats were certainly not empty words and her mere presence was enough to intimidate most people.

It resulted that Chenlian ended up having only three female 'companions': the princess who only wanted to have as many chances as possible to embarrass her, break her, or put her in trouble or danger; and the princess' only two 'friends'. Although whether they thought of each other as **real** friends was rather doubtful since she only knew how to control people by fear, and there was always some kind of retribution whenever someone did better than her. And those friends were no exceptions, despite the fact that she had chosen them herself for their respective skills at throwing stilettos and acrobatics. Chenlian kind of liked them, be it the quiet, well-mannered (albeit apparently emotionless) one or the cheerful and energetic (albeit frivolous) one. And she knew it was kind of reciprocated. But she also knew they could not really be friends. It was impossible for them to go up against the princess. However, that too was alright.

As long as she had her family who would stand up for her no matter what, she would be alright. As long as she could meet that pure and kind-hearted boy – so kind you would not believe he was her brother – she would be alright... Although at first she could only see him as a weak-kneed, slow-brained mommy's boy way too nice for his own good, who trusted and loved people – and especially his family – too much. Also because he would involve himself too much only made him too easy a prey for his sister's pranks and traps into which he would constantly fall. How stupid of him, really. That was called 'lacking the ability to learn lessons'. It was with time that she noticed his qualities, his contradictions, and complexity. Clever yet hot headed, letting his own impatience prevent him from thinking things through. Immensely proud, domineering, controlling, disdaining working with people he deemed as inferior, yet kind, compassionate, and absolutely refusing to think of people as expendable. Possessor of an iron-willed defiance and inflexible determination, and yet so easily swayed by his own emotions and certain people's words. While not very strong in martial arts or firebending himself, he still wanted to protect people. He was really an idiot. But a really good idiot, with qualities as rare as they were precious in the world they lived in, and especially in that palace... That was certainly why she had come to respect him, cherish him, and want to protect him... And then as long as she could become as strong as she could possibly be in mind, heart, and body she would be alright. As long as she had those, she didn't need or care about anything.

And then she had realized things were not just about herself. She would have never become who she was without the people around her. She owed them parts of herself. She must not seek power and enlightenment in themselves and for herself but the wisdom and power to protect and fight for what and those she believed in and who believed in her. There was nothing she could do for her parents but walk the path she believed in like they had taught her. She still had family left. And she still had him even if he had forgotten about her and was on a road that was not for him. They would certainly end up fighting, but when you really love someone and believe he's in the wrong, you do what you can to stop him. And she could make new friends. She was going to make new friends. She would protect them with her power and with them, set everything right again. The Winter Solstice was in four days.

The next day, Appa was flying over a lush river valley. It was a beautiful day with lazy, puffy white clouds and sunshine. Aang was in the driving seat, leaning back, enjoying himself with an ear of wheat in his mouth. Katara was stretched out on her stomach looking over Appa's side, while Sokka was whittling.

"Those clouds look so soft, don't they? Like you could just jump down and you'd land in a big, soft cottony heap." Katara daydreamed.

"Maybe you should give it a try." Her brother cracked one of his usual jokes.

"You're hilarious." The waterbender retorted sarcastically, her tone slightly aggravated. Aang suddenly grinned widely, saying he would try it, and jumped down with his staff, laughing, plunging right through the clouds. The siblings looked down but he reappeared right behind them, closing his glider upon landing on the saddle with them, sitting down. He was soaking wet.

"Turns out clouds are made of water!" He airbended himself dry. Sokka and Katara eyed him strangely. Suddenly, the girl turned and looked ahead.

"Hey, what is that?" She asked apprehensively. Below them, a black mar was spanned on a side of the river, following it far to the mountains where it would spread painfully wide.

"It's like a scar." Sokka noticed, no longer in the mood for jokes. They landed on the floor of the valley in the damaged area. Burnt tree stumps were dotting the barren land. The three dismounted and walked around. It was frighteningly quiet, with no life anywhere. Katara asked Aang if he were ok. Then the water tribesman noticed footprints on the burnt ground, marking the passage of komodo rhinos and firebenders... "Fire Nation! Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-" He started ranting before his sister hushed him. "What? I'm not allowed to be angry?" Sokka justified himself in a whisper, still angry. Ahead of them, Aang sank to his knees in the dust, sighing heavily. He ran his hand through the burnt earth before taking a handful of ashes that slipped through his fingers. He could not understand why anyone would do that. Katara tried to reassure him, that it was not his fault. But that did not stop the airbender from feeling guilty and blaming himself as it was the Avatar's duty to protect nature. The thing was: he did not know how to do his job.

"That's why we're going to the North Pole to find you a teacher." The waterbender attempted to help him.

"Yeah, a waterbending teacher, but there's no one who can teach me how to be the Avatar. Monk Gyatso said that Avatar Roku would help me." Aang said, the image of the mahogany-haired girl and her dragon flashing through his mind.

"The Avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago, how are you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka questioned.

"I don't know." The child replied, his vision of the mysterious girl flashing again. Momo, feeling the depressed state of his owner and friend, jumped onto his lap where he lay down so the boy could pet him.

"Uncle! It's time to leave! Where are you? Uncle Iroh!" Prince Zuko yelled, coming out of a dense bamboo forest. His uncle's fire soldier uniform was hanging from the low branches of a pine tree.

"Over here." The old man told his nephew.

"Uncle? We need to move on, we're closing in on the Avatar's trail and I don't want to lose him!"

"You look tired, Prince Zuko. Why don't you join me in these hot springs and soak away your troubles." Iroh suggested, looking blissfully happy in the natural hot springs formed by a cascading rock formation.

"My troubles cannot be soaked away. It's time to go!" The teen shouted again, looking like a raging Deva King.

"You should take your teacher's advice and relax a little. The temperature's just right. I heated it myself." The retired general went on, impervious to the prince's wrath, as it was nothing more to him than one of his usual tantrums. The old man put his hands together and breathed steam from his nostrils to heat the water a little more.

"Enough! We need to leave now! Get out of the water!" Zuko ordered and swatted the steam away, annoyed.

"Very well." Iroh sighed and rose resignedly, exposing himself. The young man immediately put his hand up to shield himself.

"On second thought, why don't you take another few minutes, but be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving without you." Zuko left, careful not to even glimpse at his uncle. And Iroh delightfully soaked back in...

"Hey Aang, are you ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked her friend.

"No." The boy was still sitting slumped down on the burnt ground when an acorn flew at him and hit him hard on the side of his head.

"Ow! Hey, how was that cheering me up?"

"Hehe, cheered **_me_** up." Sokka laughed before getting whacked on the side of his head by the other acorn Katara had been playing with. "Ow! Yeah, I probably deserved that..."

Katara assured Aang that the forest would grow back thanks to the profusion of acorns scattered around and all animals will come back. Momo was digging furiously in the scorched earth, emerging with his cheeks and hands full of acorns. Katara placed one in the palm of the airbender's hand and closed it. The boy thanked her with a smile. Then the group was startled by the arrival of an old man in green walking with the aid of a cane. He had seen the flying bison and come to request the Avatar's help for his village.

They entered the small walled up village of Senlin nestled in the forest as the sun was getting lower and the shadows longer, and a soft golden light was gently enveloping the world. Several houses were damaged or destroyed. At the main building, the old man introduced Aang to the village chief who greeted him politely and deferentially. The boy's reply was less formal but still friendly. He then asked what he could help them with. The leader was still unsure but the old man insisted: the Avatar was their only hope to solve the crisis the village was in. They proceeded to explain that for the last few days at sunset, Hei-Bai, the Black and White spirit monster had been attacking their village for an unknown reason, and each time, he would abduct one of their people. And they were especially fearful because the winter solstice was drawing near. As the solstice was approaching, the natural world and the spirit world would grow closer and closer until the line between them was blurred completely. Hei-Bai was already wreaking destruction, there was no telling what would happen on the solstice. Aang asked what they wanted him to do exactly.

"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the spirit world than the Avatar himself? You are the great bridge between man and spirits." The old man replied without giving any precise answer.

"Right... that's me..." The boy trailed off, obviously lacking confidence. Then, at Katara's request, Aang and the siblings walked away so they could have their private talk. She had noticed how unsure her friend seemed about this situation. The airbender answered a little exasperated that it might be because he didn't know anything about the Spirit World as he never had anyone to teach him this stuff. But he still had to try and help them nonetheless. Maybe whatever he had to do would naturally come to him. Momo comfortingly jumped on his shoulder and chattered. Aang smiled hopefully. The siblings also reassured him. He could do it.

Chenlian landed on Crescent Island. Like the vast majority of the Fire Nation islands, it was volcanic. Except that the volcano here was active and rivers of lava were constantly flowing from the crater. Then she ate and rested. A long time ago, the Fire Sages were solely loyal to the Avatar, but after Roku's death, Sozin forced them to work under him. She now had to thread carefully, hoping both that she would not meet any enemy and that there were still sages who had not forgotten their pride and true duty and were still faithful to the Avatar. A large and long bridge was winding up from a pier, above the lava flows, up to the pagoda-like temple that was standing on a crest. And that bridge was the only way.

The girl entered the building at night. The yard and hallways were dimly lit by torches and naturally fluorescent red stones set in lamps. It was sad... for an ally of the Avatar having to hide and conceal their presence in a temple where the disciples were meant to serve and revere the Avatar and only the Avatar.

A long time ago, a council of Sages was leading the Nation with a strong sense of spirituality held to the highest degree, similar to the spiritual Air Nomads. They were also responsible for identifying the Avatar's incarnation when he or she was born into the Fire Nation and conducting weddings and funerals for the Royal Family and were expected to provide their help to those who sought it. However, after Roku's death the Sages lost their power to the Fire Lord's lineage and currently directed their energy on serving merely as counsel to their ruler. It was sad.

She walked through the corridors and stopped suddenly, listening to the quick and light tapping of feet running in her direction from behind. It was only one person. She and her partner contemplated their options: remain hidden and keep walking through this maze... or instill back the fear of the Spirit World into him, remind him who it is he should be serving, and have him guide them where they wanted...? But then what to do with him? Keeping him around would be troublesome, but letting him free to alert the others was just as troublesome. And she did not believe in ruling people through fear. She did not want to. And she had no intention of killing anyone. However, the person was gaining on her. She turned into a dead end, took out one of her daggers and hid there. The light of the Sage's lamp was fast approaching. She waited, tense, her hand gripping the hilt of her dagger. He turned around her corner and barely had enough time to see her, his eyes widening in surprise, that the girl had pinned him against the wall, her blade at his neck.

"Speak louder than a whisper and you're dead." Chenlian warned harshly in a low voice.

"Are you Chenlian?" The old man asked with a trace of fear but nonetheless trying to sound reassuring.

"How do you know it's me?"

"I saw Avatar Roku in a dream. He told me you were coming tonight and asked me to lead you to him. I know a secret passage."

"How can I know you're not leading me into a trap?"

"I am a Fire Sage and it is our duty to help the Avatar." He said gravely. Under the dim red light, her piercing eyes bore into his and what she saw was his iron conviction and unshakeable faith. He was completely sincere. She could really kill him for all he knew and yet there was not a single trace of doubt. She let go of him and backed a few steps.

"But it's not like you don't know what happens to those who help the Avatar..." She trailed off, unsure and concerned, as much for her own safety as for his if he was really telling the truth like she believed he was.

"My grandfather was Avatar Roku's master during his Avatar training, and later the first person to deny the next Avatar had been killed during the first assault on the Air Nomads. He passed his conviction to my father who was branded a traitor because of his support to the Avatar and critic of the Fire Lord's ambitions... and he was executed." At this Chenlian's eyes widened. "Left an orphan, I was taken in and raised by the Fire Sages, though I never felt close to any of them."

"Then-!" She tried again. If his father died because of his loyalty then all the more reason not to help her; and later, Aang. And yet, she was still worried about him.

"I am a Fire Sage, and no matter what, I will accomplish my duty toward the Avatar." He declared again with pride, strength, and confidence. The girl sighed and sheathed her weapon.

"I am very sorry for having menaced you and I cannot thank you enough for your help." She bowed low, glad and sad in the same time, and hoping that he would not pay too high a price for his actions. They were alike: their family had been killed for having spoken against the Fire Lord and yet both had decided to follow into their family's footsteps and uphold their convictions by helping the Avatar in any way they could regardless of the risks. But she could not deny that a part of herself was acting out of revenge against the Fire Lord. However this person moved out of pure devotion, and she felt the utmost respect for him.

They entered the secret passage that Roku had created from the magma when he was alive. It first went down the mountain where they passed rivers of lava before going up again. They climbed up snail stairs to the top of the tower. They opened a trapdoor on the ceiling which was in fact part of the room's floor. It was a large room supported by pillars around which were coiled dragon statues. Behind them were a few windows from with the light of the moon and stars were streaming. And before was a huge double door – the door leading to the inner sanctuary – with in the background the yellow Fire Nation symbol and on the foreground a device holding five open-mouthed dragons, coiled in a way it was impossible to open the door without performing the necessary 'trick'. There was a ruby in the center. And these doors were closed... Shyu (he had introduced himself) told her that these could only be open by a fully realized Avatar or by five Fire Sages with five simultaneous fire blasts.

"Five simultaneous fire blasts... huh?"

_"Can you do it?" _

**_"Together we can, yes... but it'll be hard on you..."_**

_"I'm strong. I'll be alright."_

**_"Then..."_**

"If it's five simultaneous fire blasts it's not something I can't do. I have a partner who's stronger and more reliable than any human Firebending Master you could find. More like he'll be the one to open the door... and I only am his humble host and help." And with that, red markings appeared on her body, crawling down her limbs, up her neck and face, her amber eyes glowed gold, blending white, iris and pupil, and after a few forms, released five blasts of fire, one from her mouth and two from each of her open palms. The dragon mouths and flames pivoted and the door opened to the inside.

"How is it possible?" Shyu asked in awe as the marks and the glow receded to disappear completely.

"I have special circumstances... I once cursed the Fire Lord for it but now I came to peace with it, although I will never forgive him for the reason and the way it came to be... never... Although the Fire Sages from the Capital also have their part of responsibility..." Her tone was categorical and her strange and complicated smile was tinted with sadness, derision, gentle sincerity, and deep seated and smoldering resentment. A spark of recognition and guilt for his order flashed through his features. She stepped forward and smiled kindly at him. "Shyu, this is also a request from us: please help the Avatar, help Aang. We are relying on you." And the doors closed on her and the device switched back into place.

At sunset, Iroh was still soaking in his bath and snoring peacefully when a noise startled him awake. It was just a meadow vole that moved onto his outstretched hand where it stayed for a time before he released it.

"Ehh, seems I've dozed off and missed my nephew's deadline, but it was a very sweet nap." The old man happily and lazily leant back against the rock again, closing his eyes once more, not the least bit worried or regretful about Zuko's reaction. The vole started hopping up and down on the lip of the bath and making chittering noises. Suddenly it stopped and the ground started shaking from deeper in the forest. It flipped around to see dust clouds rising from the forest and then hopped away. The tremors soon reached Iroh's bath and two other shock waves approached the bath from left and right. The old general was been caught by surprise and when the shockwaves reached his 'tub' three triangular stones rose up between his legs and on his sides, keeping him imprisoned. A second later, three earthbenders appeared and had him surrounded. Another took Iroh's uniform and showed it to his officer.

"He's a Fire Nation soldier."

"He's no ordinary soldier. This is the Fire Lord's brother, the Dragon of the West, the once great General Iroh, but now, he's our prisoner."

At sunset, Aang goes out alone to face the monster. He nervously called it and asked it to leave the village alone while in the main building Sokka wanted to help saying he should not face this alone but was stopped by the old man. This continued until the sun completely disappeared behind the mountains. He reached the gate, and as there was still no response, the boy twirled his staff and planted it on the ground resolutely saying this was over before taking it back and turning to go back to the building, his guard down.

Suddenly a massive shape as big as a house, with six legs and black and white orca-like markings all over his body, emerged from the forest. Aang was still walking up the village street, unaware that Hei-Bai was following right behind him. The spirit was vaguely mammalian and had razor sharp teeth. The child realized something was amiss and stopped, turning to look up at the monster. He smiled and greeted it politely, but before he could finish the creature shot a blast of air and blue energy at him from its mouth, blowing the boy's staff to the ground. The spirit reared on its hind-most legs and bellowed, releasing another jet of blue energy from its mouth, and charged into the village, ignoring Aang and leaving him behind. The Avatar desperately tried to turn the spirit's attention to him, so they could hope to solve things peacefully. It was useless, however, and Hei Bai kept destroying buildings in rapid succession with its brute strength and shots of blue energy. Katara and the old man reassured Sokka that Aang was going to be alright. The airbender climbed onto a rooftop. As his timid attempts did not seem to work, he changed tactics and used a more forceful tone, but that only served to anger the spirit that swatted him backward. Aang crashed his back against a roof, slid off it and collapsed on the ground. Sokka could no longer take it and ran outside despite the old man's warnings who only managed to stop Katara from following her brother. Sokka threw his boomerang at Hei Bai to no effect. He ran to the Avatar who was yelling at him to go back and replied that they would fight together.

"I don't wanna fight him unless I- huh?!" In a flash, the spirit had grabbed the young warrior and was now running in the forest. Aang opened his glider and took off after them. The waterbender came running but had to stop at the gate. There was no way she could possibly catch up.

Further away, Zuko returned at last to the place where his uncle had been bathing. Despite his harsh disposition, he was a kind and caring person. He called but no answer came. A soldier suggested that he thought they had left without him. But then the prince noticed the unnatural setting of the rocks inside the stone tub. Another soldier evoked a landslide, however, as the teen remarked, land did not slide uphill. Iroh had been captured by earthbenders.

Aang was gliding at breakneck speed through the forest in pursuit of Hei-Bai, trying to save his fearful friend from the grip of the monster. They were even until the airbender hit a branch and was slowed down. The boy was catching up again when the creature entered the burnt wasteland, Aang close behind. Sokka cried for help. The Avatar told him to hang on and glided in closer, stretching his hand to his comrade who was able to grab it. But just as Aang began to pull his friend free, both he and the monster vanished. The boy fell from the sky in surprise at the base of the stone statue of a bear. When he woke up with a start and bolted upright, the moon shining over him.

"Sokka!" He looked around to see he was all alone. "I failed."

In a bamboo forest earthbenders on ostrich-horses were marching on in the middle of the night. The lead one had a lamp while another had a chained – and basically naked – Iroh behind his back. The old man was asking where he was being taken.

"We're taking you to face justice." The captain answered.

"Right. But where, specifically?"

"A place you're quite familiar with, actually. You once laid siege to it for 600 days, but it would not yield to you."

"Ah! The great city of Ba-Sing-Se." Iroh said wistfully.

"It was greater than you were, apparently." The captain smirked.

"I acknowledged my defeat at Ba-Sing-Se!" The firebender retorted defensively. "After 600 days away from home, my men were tired and I was tired," He yawned and put his face in the back of the soldier he was riding with. "And I'm still tired." He fell off the ostrich and the soldier stopped to look. The prisoner was lying on the road, chained up tight, but a smile on his face. They dismounted and picked him up to carry him back to and on the animal, without noticing the sandal that he had left behind or the smirk on his lips.

"I'm sure they'll be back." The old man joined Katara who was sitting at the village gate.

"I know." She replied. The elder advised her to get some rest and put his shawl on the girl's shoulders. "Everything's gonna be okay." She said, holding on to her brother's boomerang and trying to sound hopeful.

"Your brother is in good hands. I would be shocked if the Avatar returned without him."

In the midst of the old man's comforting words, Aang appeared along the forest trail leading up to the gate and faced Katara's downcast form.

"Katara, Katara I lost him." He admitted, having summoned all his courage. But neither of them reacted to his voice or presence. The old man said that the sun had risen. Maybe he would come back soon. Angry, the boy growled: he was right here! How could they act like he was not there?! He violently waved his hand in front of his face but to no avail. And then seeing the sun shining through his transparent hand, he realized he was in the spirit world. Or more exactly, his spirit had left his body and was wandering through this world.

Time passed, and on a certain trail, Zuko picked up the sandal his uncle had left at his intention. He sniffed it and recoiled, disgusted. No doubt that it was his uncle's.

At the village gate, Aang was sitting cross-legged and trying to cheer himself – and Katara – up (even though she could not see or hear him). After all, he was the bridge between the two worlds. All he had to do was to figure out what he had to do and it would be a walk in the park. It was then that Appa came in and grunted, putting his nose to Katara. Aang tried to call him but his 'buddy' could not see or hear him either. Appa grunted again and the girl woke up. She petted him and reassured him and both went inside the village but Aang stayed where he was.

"Avatar Roku, how can I talk to you?" The boy shouted to the sky, hoping for a sign. When none came, he looked down in despair. Then, he noticed something and looked back down the path, his face showing elation. He thought it was Sokka. But as the light grew stronger and closer, he saw with alarm that it was the spirit of a dragon flying toward him, and definitely not Sokka. He tried to fly away but failed. He could not airbend. The dragon spirit was bearing down on him when he saw another one coming at him from another side, except that this one was mounted_. _The first one landed in front of a cowering Aang. "You don't know where Sokka is, do you?" He asked fearfully and hopefully. In response, the dragon bended down and touched the boy's head with one of its whiskers. And in his mind, he saw an old man in Fire Nation cloths riding a red dragon. The spirit broke the contact. "You're Avatar Roku's animal guide! Like Appa is to me. I need to save my friend and I don't know how. Is there some way for me to talk to Roku?"

"Yes, there is." It was the person riding the other dragon who had answered.

"You're the girl from my vision!" Aang recognised her now that he could see her from up close. "But you are...?" He said now unsure.

"My name is Chenlian. And I can help you. Come." Her dragon took off again. Fang – Roku's dragon – coiled around the boy who said goodbye to Katara before jumping on its neck and they followed after the others.

The two dragons and their riders flew past a winding mountain path where four ostrich-horses were plodding along. Two pairs of eyes widened in shock at the familiar face they could see whizzing past. They turned their heads and stared at each other for the few seconds it took for the other to disappear out of sight. Just like Chenlian had been shocked to see Iroh – NAKED (or almost) – captured by earthbenders so close to the village where Aang's comrades were... (since that meant that Zuko wasn't far), Iroh had been shocked to see her, in spirit form, riding her dragon spirit, accompanied by the Avatar child who was riding another dragon. Although it was not the first time he had seen her in this form over these past three years, he had not expected to see her in such circumstances. He had been caught in a shameful position... But if she was free that would certainly be a good thing. And it seemed she was helping the Avatar. If that was the case, his nephew was certainly not going to be happy. But again, even if she had joined him instead of the Avatar he would have still been confused, and torn between what he thought was his duty, and his feelings for her that were conflicting enough as they were. Oh well, no use thinking about such haphazard groundless conjectures now. The dragons passed right over their heads, although he had been the only one to see them. Due to his strange startled expression, the captain asked what the problem was.

"Nothing. Actually, there is a bit of a problem. My old joints are feeling sore and achy and these shackles are too loose."

"Too loose?"

"That's right. The cuffs are loose and they jangle around and bump my wrists. It would help me if you would tighten them so they wouldn't shake around so much." The old man asked hopefully.

"Very well. Corporal, tighten the prisoner's hand cuffs."

They stopped the animals. The ostrich-horse on which the corporal and his prisoner were riding crouched down and the earthbender jumped down to obey his officer. As his hand was approaching Iroh breathed on the handcuffs that became red hot and pushed the corporal's hand down on the metal. He screamed in pain. Iroh jumped free, launched himself into the air and blasted fire at the soldiers with his tied feet. He rolled off the path and down the hill during the ensuing uproar.

Aang and Chenlian swiftly approached a crescent-shaped volcanic island. They entered the beautiful Temple and flew straight towards the ceiling. Aang screamed thinking they were going to crash but they passed right through it harmlessly. They landed on the floor. They were in the top-most chamber of the temple. It was basically empty if not for a golden statue of Avatar Roku against a wall of golden flames... and Chenlian's body that was sitting there lotus-style at the base of the three little steps leading to the statue, her effects laying at her side.

"Chenlian, you-"

"What? You thought I was dead? I am alive and don't plan on dying before a long time. I'm a normal person. It's only thanks to him that I can also enter the spirit world." She petted Guang's head. She still had not dismounted.

"Oh, I see."

"But we don't have time for that story now."

Once more Fang touched Aang's forehead with his whisker, and the image of a comet appeared in his head.

"Is that what Roku wants to talk to me about? A comet? When can I talk to him?" The boy turned toward the statue of the Avatar before him.

"Look." The girl said as Fang moved his head to let a beam of light enter. The shaft hit the wall above the statue's left shoulder. Guang put his whisker on the child's head and a vision of time passing at the Fire Temple began. From the exterior of the temple sitting on its volcanic promontory, he could see clouds fly by at incredible speed overhead and the sun round its daily course in a matter of seconds. Thus the present day ended and two nights and two days passed, the shaft of sunlight hitting the back wall closer and closer to the statue's face as each day passed.

"In two days from now on, the Winter Solstice will begin. You must come here in this chamber before sunset. Only then will you be able to talk to Avatar Roku."

"The winter solstice?! But I can't wait that long! I need to save Sokka now!"

"That's what I thought you'd say." The female firebender smiled. "Okay, let's go back." The boy mounted Fang and both flew back toward the Earth Kingdom.

Iroh was rolling down the hillside, still chained. The earthbender soldiers watched him from over the lip. One earthbended a torrent of dirt and rock after him and then three slid down the hillside in pursuit. When they caught up to him, Iroh was almost buried. A soldier remarked that he was too dangerous. They could not just carry him to the capital. They had to do something now. The captain agreed that he must be dealt with immediately and severely. Iroh spat out a little rock and smirked slightly. It might have been foolish to have hoped for a successful escape at this moment, but it was the perfect opportunity to stall time.

Katara and Appa were flying on reconnaissance above the forest but as they could not find Aang or Sokka, decided to go back to the village and wait for them. They were seen by Prince Zuko who was following the trail of the ostrich-horses on his komodo-rhino. He yanked the reigns to turn the beast back, but then looked down the trail leading to his captured uncle. He looked back again in the direction he had seen the flying bison, indecision clear on his face.

"Leave as soon as you can. The pursuit is hot on your trail. Concerning Hei Bai... I'm sure you'll be able to understand his feelings, since the same things happened to you. Just be honest, with yourself and with him, and speak with your heart. As long as there is life, there is hope. And it can be found in the most unexpected of places. Don't worry. Everything will be alright. Good luck." Chenlian advised as they were flying through the burnt down forest. The bear statue in front of them was rapidly growing larger, with Aang's body sitting crossed legged atop it. The boy braced himself for impact, but he merely went back his own body as Roku's dragon disappeared into the statue and the girl and her own dragon flew right past it with the same incredible speed. The sun was already setting. He woke up, now back in the material world, jumped down off the statue and turned to stare in wonder at it. After a time, Aang opened his glider and flew back toward the village where Katara was anxiously waiting for him on the porch of the main building. He landed before her and she rushed to hug him and Momo flew to perch on his master's shoulder, both really glad he was back. The waterbender asked where Sokka was but the boy was not sure. The sun sank below the western horizon.

Iroh's arms were stretched over a large rock in the center of a large rock pit. The captain wanted to crush those dangerous hands that had burned his corporal's. He earthbended a huge boulder from the ground and dropped it over the former general's hands and arms. But just before they were crushed, Zuko kicked the boulder out of the way. He landed and broke the chains binding his uncle's wrists with a heel drop. Iroh rose with a smile.

"Excellent form, Prince Zuko." He praised his nephew.

"You taught me well." The teen replied as both firebenders took their fighting stance.

"Surrender yourselves, it's five against two. You're clearly outnumbered." The captain reasoned. Indeed, Iroh and Zuko were back to back, surrounded by their would-be captors.

"Uh, that's true." The older man admitted. "But you are clearly outmatched!"

All five earthbenders launched stones at the pair. Iroh swung his chains and shattered them in mid-flight, while Zuko blasted the two nearest soldiers away. Two others tried to shoot him down from behind. The young firebender was about to be hit when the huge boulder got wrapped in Iroh's chains who after making it twirl around him released it back at their capturers, knocking them both out. The captain launched several rocks at Zuko who dodged them and returned fire. The blast was blocked when the Captain lowered his head and the flame dissipated harmlessly over his armoured slightly conical helmet. The remaining earthbender raised two huge sheets of rock and the prince looked afraid, but then chains wrapped around the Captain's feet and he was pulled to the ground by Iroh, causing the rocks to fall on top of him and bury him in dirt. Iroh and Zuko looked at each other and smiled, the teen putting his hand on his uncle's shoulder.

"Now would you **_please_** put on some clothes?!"

Aang was once more standing at the village gate. Night had barely fallen. The wind was blowing. After a time he walked back into the village. As he approached a building, the monster appeared breaking through its roof. It roared in triumph, releasing blue energy from its mouth. Aang cried out and protected himself from the debris by bending the air around him into a fast spinning ball. Katara cried at him to run. The creature roared and rand toward the main building where his friends where hiding, but the airbender ran, jumped over it and put his hand onto its forehead. His hand glowed light blue, and Aang recognised the panda bear from the statue. The boy landed on the porch.

"You're the spirit of this forest. Now I understand. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down. When I saw the forest had burned I was sad and upset. But my friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back." With a smile, he showed Hei-Bai the acorn Katara had given him and placed it on the porch. The monster picked up the acorn and turned back into its real form: a gentle panda. The spirit turned and walked away and as it passed the gate, a thicket of bamboo grew to man height in seconds. A moment later, Sokka and a few villagers appeared from the thicket, looking confused. Katara ran to hug her brother as other villagers went to hug their loved ones. He had been trapped in the Spirit World for twenty-four hours. She asked how he was feeling.

"Like I seriously need to use the bathroom!" Sokka replied, as usual not reading, or caring, about the mood.

Some time later, the chief, flanked by a few villagers, thanked the Avatar and asked what they could do to repay him.

"You could give us some supplies and some money." Sokka answered, with practicality in mind as usual. His sister angrily elbowed him for his all too mundane comment. "What? We need stuff." He justified himself. The chief gladly complied.

"I'm so proud of you, Aang. You figured out what to do all on your own." Katara praised her friend.

"Actually, I did have a little help. And there's something else." The boy remembered the comet, and Chenlian and her dragon.

"What is it?" The Water Tribe warrior inquired.

"I need to talk to Roku and I think I've found a way to contact his spirit."

"That's great!"

"Creepy, but great."

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island, and if I go there on the solstice I'll be able to speak with him. And I'll also be able to meet the girl from my vision, the one I told you about at the Southern Air Temple, with a dragon."

"But, the solstice is tomorrow."

"Yeah, and there's one more problem. The island is in the Fire Nation."


	10. Winter soltice at the Fire Temple

**Fight****10: Winter Solstice at the Fire Temple **

It was a little before dawn. In the Senlin village, Aang was frustratingly pulling on Appa's reins, but the animal would grunt disapprovingly and stubbornly refuse to budge an inch unless these two were with them.

"Look, I'm sorry, but Katara and Sokka aren't coming to the Fire Nation with us. If they got hurt, I'd never forgive myself. So get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" The boy apologised before finishing angrily. He kept on pulling the reins to no avail. At one time he pulled so hard that he fell back on his butt.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." He suddenly heard Sokka's voice say. He turned to see the Water Tribe siblings and Earth Kingdom villagers standing behind Appa.

"Please don't go, Aang. The world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I." Katara pleaded poignantly.

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku to find out what my vision means. And I have to meet that girl. She's waiting for me, she can help me. I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the Solstice. That's today." Aang jumped up onto Appa's back and looked back hesitatingly at Sokka and Katara who jumped in front of the bison to stop them. They were not letting him go into the Fire Nation, at least not alone. Chittering, Momo landed on the airbender's shoulder while Appa generously licked Sokka's whole front with his big dripping tongue.

"EWWWWW!"

The Chief handed Aang a parcel and wished them luck for their long journey to Crescent Island. They would have to fly fast to be there before sundown. The boy thanked him and they took off.

Not long later, the Chief left his home again, sighing and rubbing his forehead. But just as he passed the door, he walked directly into Prince Zuko who was accompanied by General Iroh, still practically naked on the back of a komodo rhino.

"Having trouble sleeping?" Zuko roughly knocked the Chief back into the building by thrusting his open palms against his chest. "Seen the Avatar lately?"

Aang urged Appa to fly faster as they still had a long way to go, and the animal obeyed while on the ocean below, Zuko's ship was racing not far behind. Concerned and frustrated, Iroh was scolding his nephew.

"Sailing into Fire Nation waters... of all the foolish things you have done in your 16 years, Prince Zuko, this is the most foolish!"

"I have no choice, Uncle." The teen replied, looking at the sky through a spyglass.

"Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?! What if you're caught?!" The retired general retorted with anger, anguish, and worry.

"I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home!" The exiled prince turned back at him, clenching his fist with conviction.

"You give him too much credit. My brother is not the understanding type." Iroh tried again, his arms crossed. Zuko looked into the spyglass again and spotted Appa flying among the clouds.

"There they are! Helmsman, full steam ahead!"

It was then that Sokka and Katara noticed Zuko's ship gaining on them fast. A catapult was raised from below onto the deck and loaded with a boulder. A soldier smeared it with a type of oil. Iroh complained about its stink. The fire teen ignited the rock which was launched on his command toward the flying bison. Thanks to the waterbender's warning, Aang was able to make Appa swerve in time. The smell made the three cover their nose in disgust. They had to get out of Zuko's range. The beast could fly faster but there was another problem ahead: a blockade. Iroh wisely reminded his nephew that technically he was still in Earth Kindgom waters, and thus they could not arrest him as long as he turned back now. The airbender suggested flying north to avoid the blockade but Katara pointed out that they did not have the time.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you to come. It's too dangerous!"

"And that's exactly why we're here." The girl replied strongly.

"Let's run this blockade." Her brother said.

"Appa! Yip yip!" And Appa growled and soared swiftly.

"He's not turning around!" The banished prince noticed, his desire to follow after them obvious on his face and in his tone.

"Please Prince Zuko, if the Fire Nation captures you, there is nothing I can do. Do not follow the Avatar." His uncle attempted to dissuade him again.

"I'm sorry, Uncle." The young man bowed his head before turning to the helmsman. "Run the blockade!"

On a ship of the blockade, Commander Zhao, who had also been looking through a spyglass, was rejoicing at the opportunity he had to capture both the Avatar and the banished Prince at the same time. He ordered to shoot the bison down. That this Fire Navy ship could be hit was of no matter to him: it belonged to a traitor. On his command, the soldiers ignited the boulders and launched the fireballs that soon started pouring down on Appa and Zuko's ship. The bison managed to avoid most of them until one grazed him and Katara, Sokka and Momo hurried to beat out the fire on his back. Appa growled but was otherwise okay and he soared high to disappear in the clouds. The fireballs crashed all around Zuko's ship, narrowly missing it, sometimes making sheets of water crash over the deck. One hit the back of the ship. There was an explosion. It was burning as the black smoke rose to the sky. The engines were damaged, they needed to stop and make repairs but the prince categorically refused. Zhao ordered for the second wave of fireballs to be launched.

Above the clouds, Appa kept on swerving between the blazing projectiles, the young ones screaming at each narrow miss when two fireballs collided and exploded right in front of them. Appa growled and reared up to avoid the combustion and Sokka was thrown off his back. In vain, Katara screamed and reached out for her brother as he fell and disappeared into the sea of clouds below. Aang screamed Sokka's name and pulled hard on Appa's reins. The beast dived at incredible speed before veering and flying parallel to the water. The bison got beneath Sokka. And while he was still falling, the siblings reached out to each other. They clasped hands. She pulled him to her. Appa hit the water, and his six legs using the ocean's surface as a trampoline began his ascent. The teens were safely back on the saddle. A large pink fish was thrown up from the ocean and hit Sokka directly in the face before bouncing off his face to be caught by a chittering and alert Momo who never missed an opportunity to catch food. The burning rocks started raining down again which the bison evaded again. Then Zhao ordered his men to stop. When the animal was close enough, a single fireball was launched at his command. Aang leapt from Appa, spinning to gain momentum. He grunted and kicked a powerful burst of air directly into the center of the approaching fireball. It exploded, the fragments forming a halo of smoke and debris around Appa who flew through the center. The boy lost his balance amidst the flying rubble and was thrown back onto Appa's shoulders where his friends grabbed his arms to steady him. And the flying bison successfully passed the blockade. The Avatar euphorically raised his left fist. They had made it! The Water Tribe siblings's face had frozen in shock and amazement.

"We got into the Fire Nation... Great." Sokka said in utter disbelief and somehow not very convinced.

A soldier asked his Commander where he thought the Avatar was headed.

"I'm not sure..." Zhao trailed off thoughtfully. He turned his head towards Prince Zuko's approaching ship. "But I bet a certain banished prince will know..."

Zuko's small ship was fast approaching the Fire Navy's blockade, but the lines of the blockade, passing each other by, had little space in-between the boats. Iroh warned his nephew they were on a collision course but he would not listen and give up so close to his goal.

"We can make it!"

On Zhao's ship the boarding party was ready to apprehend the exiled prince but Commander surprisingly told them to wait and let them pass. The soldiers did not understand but obeyed nonetheless. The engines were cut and the Prince's ship slid through the blockade, and as it did, Zhao and Zuko glared at each other determinedly. And as the smaller boat sailed away, Iroh gazed back at the Commander pensively and suspiciously, stroking his beard. Time passed, with Appa progressively sagging, and his half-sleeping passengers regularly changing positions... when at last, they reached their destination: the Crescent Island where Chenlian and Roku's dragon had taken Aang.

The large volcano was as active as ever, fire and steam belching forth from its cone. Appa landed in a safe area somewhere below the Temple. Aang patted the animal's face lovingly and praised him. Appa groaned and rolled onto his side in exhaustion and request for attention. Katara rubbed his tummy.

"Oh! You must be tired!" She baby-talked the giant bison.

"No. I'm good!" Sokka stretched and jogged in place, assuming she was talking to him. "Refreshed and ready to fight some firebenders."

"I was talking to Appa." The waterbender turned toward her brother, a wry look on her beautiful face and her fists on her hips. Sokka stopped in mid-jog.

"Well, I was talking to Momo." He gestured toward Momo hanging upside down from a nearby naked tree and also doing stretching exercises. The lemur chattered and looked quizzically at Sokka, cutely tilting its head. The four left Appa and walked up the bridge leading to the Fire Temple. They crouched behind a low wall in front of it and observed, but there were no guards. Katara thought the Fire Nation had abandoned it when Avatar Roku died. However, they had no time to deliberate. It was almost sundown. They ran into the giant pagoda.

The three teens were advancing on tip-toe when suddenly, Sokka heard something. They turned around to see five elderly men in red robes and tall red hats.

"We are the Fire Sages, guardians of the Temple of the Avatar." The leader said.

"Great! I am the Avatar." Aang stepped forward.

"We know." The Fire Sage shot three fireballs at the Avatar who dissipated them with his airbending.

"I'll hold them off. Run!" Aang yelled at his friends who obeyed while be bent low and swiped his leg in an arc sending a burst of air directly at the feet of the Fire Sages, knocking them to the floor, face first. The monk ran after Sokka and Katara. The Fire Sages slowly pick themselves up off the floor.

"If the Avatar contacts Roku, there's no telling how powerful the boy will become. Split up and find him!" The leader ordered.

As Katara, Sokka and Momo were running through the temple Aang appeared from a corridor ahead of them at their right. They stopped abruptly to avoid bumping into the boy who told them to follow him.

"Do you know where you're going?" Sokka asked, following him nonetheless.

"Nope!" The airbender disappeared around the corner, Sokka, Katara and Momo on his trail when suddenly, he came running back around the corner, a Fire Sage hard on his heels. "Wrong way!"

"Come back!" The old man cried. He had spoken loudly but with a surprisingly gentle and deferential tone that seemed to have escaped the young ones' notice as they kept running through the maze-like corridors of the Fire Temple. Finally, they ran into a corridor that turned out to be a dead end. With no escape, they faced the Fire Sage. "I don't want to fight you. I am a friend." The elder man tried to explain.

"Firebenders aren't our friends." Sokka declared strongly. The sage approached Aang, dropped to his knees and bowed.

"I know why you're here, Avatar."

"You do?" The child exclaimed, surprised, and immediately letting his guard down.

"Yes." The man stood up. "You wish to speak to Chenlian and Avatar Roku. I can take you to them."

"You know Chenlian!?" Aang said, even more surprised.

"Yes. She arrived two days ago and is waiting in Avatar Roku's chamber."

"How can you take me to them?"

The Fire Sage reached towards the wall and turned the light fixture, exposing a small hole in which shot fire. The flames framed one of the panels in the wall that slid back and to the right, revealing a secret passage with a long staircase carved into the rock of the mountain.

"This way." He gestured toward the passage. Aang, Katara and Sokka hesitated, still apprehensive and distrustful. Suddenly they heard a voice say "Find them". The old man looked quickly and nervously behind him and turned back to the three youngsters, hurrying them in. Once inside, he pulled a lever and the passage closed.

"What's he up to, Uncle? Why didn't Commander Zhao arrest me?" Zuko asked, clenching a bar on the desk of his damaged ship. Dark black smoke was still billowing from its back as it sailed through the water.

"Because he wants to follow you. He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after, the Avatar."

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do." The teen replied determinedly.

Back into the temple, Shyu, Aang, Katara, Sokka (and Momo) were still walking through the vast and cavernous system of stairs and tunnels. The Sage explained how these tunnels had been created by Avatar Roku out of the magma as well as his connection to Roku and how all Fire Sages have a strong spiritual connection to this place. He also told the Avatar how they he was coming: how a few weeks ago (when Aang and the siblings were in the Air Temple), the eyes of Avatar Roku's statue began to glow. Aang asked why the Saged had attacked him if it was the Avatar's temple.

"Things have changed. In the past, the Sages were loyal only to the Avatar. When Roku died, the Sages eagerly awaited for the next Avatar to return. But he never came."

"They were waiting for me." Aang paused and leaned against the tunnel wall.

"Hey, don't feel bad. You're only a hundred years late." Sokka said sarcastically, putting his arm around his friend's shoulders. The boy glared at him.

"They lost hope the Avatar would ever return. When Fire Lord Sozin began the war, my grandfather and the other Sages were forced to follow him." Shyu continued, shaking his head in dismay. "I never wanted to serve the Fire Lord. When I learned you were coming, I knew I would have to betray the other Sages."

"Thank you for helping me." The young Avatar bowed slightly. The sage smiled warmly at him. Then Shyu proceeded to tell him about how he had already helped Chenlian not long ago and she was waiting in the sanctuary. When they asked who she was, he answered that she was a most reliable and trustworthy ally and they would understand once they saw and talked to her. Then they climbed up the spiral of stairs to the room just outside the sanctuary. The old man explained that once inside it would only be possible to speak to Roku when the light hit the statue. They discovered the doors closed. Shyu informed them about the way to open them. The waterbender asked how Chenlian had managed. Their helper told them that he had heard of an unspeakable act, committed by the Fire Sages from the Capital by order of Fire Lord Ozai, something unforgivable that had allowed a human to gain power beyond the human realm. They had done it to obtain a living weapon that could wipe out their enemies in a large scale, and that would not be submitted to the natural laws of this world. But something went wrong and she escaped and a traitor was executed. He could not say anything beyond that. Then, he had heard of her recapture... but now she had escaped again and was waiting right here. It was then that Sokka had an idea...

Black smoke was still pouring out of the damaged rear engine of Zuko's ship. The exiled prince had instructed the men to open the back hatch of the ship. A smaller vessel was being lowered into the ocean.

"Uncle, keep heading north. Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover." Zuko said.

"Hmmmm..." Iroh grunted, stroking his beard and shaking his head disapprovingly.

The smaller ship landed safely in the water and disappeared into the smoke.

And just as predicted, all Zhao could see from his spyglass was the black smoke from the damaged ship.

Shyu, Aang and Katara were standing in front of the doors to the Fire Temple Sanctuary. Sokka was sitting on the floor, filling small sacks. Momo was at his side, curiously poking a bag.

"This is a little trick I picked up from my father. I seal the lamp oil inside an animal skin casing, Shyu lights the oil-soaked twine and tada! Fake firebending!" The water tribesman presented proudly.

"You've really outdone yourself this time, Sokka." His sister praised him.

"This might actually work." Shyu said hopefully. Sokka stuffed the animal skin sacks into the mouths of the five dragon heads before joins Katara, Aang and Momo already hiding behind the nearest columns. Shyu warned that the Sages were going to hear the explosions and to rush in as soon as they went off. Katara turned toward Aang.

"It's almost sunset. Are you ready?"

"Definitely."

Shyu sent a small stream of fire, igniting the twines, and joined Aang behind a pillar. Sokka crouched and held tightly onto Katara's skirts. The small bombs went off and smoke filled the chamber. Aang ran towards the doors and uselessly pulled on the handles. They were still locked. It didn't work. The boy sank to the floor. The sun was setting.

Cursing, Aang was hurling blades upon blades of wind at the door... to no avail. Katara grabbed his arm and stopped him. The boy apologised for putting them all through this. Sokka approached the doors and ran his finger through the soot produced by the blasts. Momo chattered and jumped over to the dragon face in the middle. The oldest teen could not understand what had been wrong. Those blasts had looked as strong as any firebending he had seen.

"Sokka! You're a genius!" The waterbender exclaimed.

"Wait, how is Sokka genius? His plan didn't even work." The airbender questioned, confused..

"Come on Aang, let her dream." The warrior leaned arrogantly against the door.

"You're right. Sokka's plan **didn't** work...but it **looks** like it did." Katara answered mysteriously.

"Did the definition of 'genius' change in the last hundred years?" Aang wondered dubiously. The old man was just as clueless.

Not long later, Shyu was leading the four other Fire Sages to the sanctuary's doors, telling them to hurry as the Avatar had already entered the sanctuary though he did not know how. He showed them the scorch marks and the space between the doors and the floor where a shadow, as if of two feet, was moving back and forth. The leader ordered to open the doors immediately before he could contact Avatar Roku. Perched on the dragon's tail wrapped around the columns, Aang slowly inched his way to the floor, ready to run the minute the Fire Sages opened the doors. They shoot five fire blasts into the heads. As the flames worked their way through the lock, the doors slowly creaked open. The blinding light dissipated and the Fire Sages saw a lone Momo inside the sanctuary who sneezed and looked quizzically at them.

"It's the Avatar's lemur! He must have crawled through the pipes! We've been tricked!" The head sage exclaimed. Momo suddenly leaped at his face, knocking him down. Katara and Sokka jumped from behind two columns and grabbed the two nearest Fire Sages and pulled their clothes over their heads. Shyu caught the last Fire Sage, and all four enemies were subdued.

"Now, Aang!" Shyu yelled.

"Aang! Now's your chance!" Katara added. Prince Zuko and Aang appeared from behind a pillar. Zuko had taken Aang prisone and was holding his arms tightly behind his back.

"The Avatar's coming with me!" The prince said in a final tone. The tables had turned. The lemur flew towards the ceiling taking the headgear with him. Katara, Sokka and Shyu were immobilised and tied with chains to the nearest column. Zuko pushed the struggling boy towards the stairs and ordered to quickly close the doors. As he and Zuko reached the stairs, Aang freed himself with a series of fast moves and knocked the prince off balance before kicking him down the stairs. While Zuko was tumbling down, the Avatar ran towards the doors of the sanctuary which are beginning to close. He jumped into the air to avoid a fire blast and did several turns in mid-air, using the heads of two Fire Sages as stepping stones. He dived through the doors just as they slammed shut and the lock grinded back into place. The siblings were overjoyed. He had made it! A blast of bright white light came from behind the sanctuary doors. Inside, Aang was crouching on the floor in front of Avatar Roku's statue. The setting sunlight was coming through an octagonal window at the top of the sanctuary. The reddish light was moving slowly up the great statue. Aang stood up.

"The light hits the statue and I talk to Roku. So why isn't anything happening?"

"Because the sunlight must hit the statue's eyes." A voice answered behind. He sharply turned around and saw a girl with mahogany hair looking at him with grave amber eyes.

"Chenlian!" The boy exclaimed.

"Avatar Aang, thank you for coming all this way despite the dangers." She bowed slightly with a small smile. It was sincere, but now was not the time when they could fully rejoice. "Avatar Roku is protecting us, now. He won't let anyone enter. You'll be able to speak with him soon. Once we leave, I promise I will do my utmost to help you. I wish to come with you."

Outside the chamber, four of the Fire Sages and Prince Zuko attempted to open the door with their firebending. This time, however, nothing happened.

"Why isn't it working? It's sealed shut!" The prince bellowed, extremely aggravated.

"It must have been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside." The great sage answered.

"You wish to come with me?!" Aang exclaimed, surprised.

"Yeah, but now we don't have the time to talk about it. Look!" Chenlian pointed at the statue. The boy turned to look at it. The sunlight had moved up to its face, and when it hit its eyes, they began to glow. Suddenly, there was white smoke everywhere. The smoke cleared. Aang was standing face to face with Avatar Roku, and at his side was Chenlian with a golden dragon. They were on the top of a mountain range.

"It's good to see you, Aang. What took you so long?" Roku greeted with a smile. Shocked and amazed, the young airbender respectfully placed a fist into his palm, bowing his head to the Avatar before him.

Behind the door, Shyu was kneeling on the floor in front of Prince Zuko, his hands tied behind his back. The four Fire Sages were standing behind him. Zuko demanded why he helped the Avatar.

"Because it was once the Sages' duty... It is still, our duty." Shyu answered, sad and proud. Suddenly, from behind the prince came the sound of one pair of hands clapping. Commander Zhao approached with Fire Nation troops.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance. I'm certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him." The commander mocked. The four Fire Sages bowed to him. "And Prince Zuko, it was a noble effort. But your little smoke screen didn't work. Two traitors, in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased." He continued disdainfully, like he was humouring a child. A soldier seized Zuko's arms from behind. He scowled and strained against his captor before snapping at Zhao.

"You're too late, Zhao. The Avatar's inside and the doors are sealed."

"No matter. Sooner or later, he has to come out." He grinned confidently while Sokka and Katara exchanged a worried glance.

"And you Chenlian, and you, Guang, it has been a long time too. I am really glad you could break free and make it here."

"Avatar Roku." Chenlian and Guang bowed deeply and respectfully. Then Roku turned back to Aang.

"I have something very important to tell you, Aang. That is why, when you were in the spirit world, I sent Chenlian and my dragon to find you."

"Is it about that vision? The one with the comet?"

"Yes."

"What does it mean?" The little monk questioned. The light of the mountain range faded into a starry night sky. A comet slowly crossed the sky. Roku explained that one hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used that comet to begin the war. He and his firebending army harnessed its incredible power and dealt a deadly first strike against the other nations. The comet made firebenders stronger than the boy could even imagine. But Aang did not understand what a comet that passed a hundred years ago had to do with the war now.

"Listen carefully. Sozin's comet will return by the end of the summer. And Fire Lord Ozai will use its power to finish the war once and for all. If he succeeds, even the Avatar won't be able to restore balance to the world. Aang, you must defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives." The previous Avatar said. Aang countered anxiously that he hadn't even started learning waterbending, not to mention earth and fire. "Mastering the elements takes years of discipline and practice. But if the world is to survive, you must do it by summer's end." Roku affirmed. Fear, shock and worry washed across Aang's youthful features.

Outside, Zhao and his firebenders were waiting for Aang to emerge. He commanded the soldiers to unleash all their firebending power when the doors opened. Sokka, Katara and Shyu chained to a pillar and Prince Zuko was chained to another.

"How's Aang going to make it out of this?" Katara asked, worried.

"How're WE going to make it out of this?" Her brother asked back, just as worried and troubled.

"What if I can't master all the elements in time? What if I fail?" Aang asked, terrified.

"I know you can do it Aang, for you have done it before. The solstice is ending. We must go our separate ways... for now."

"But I won't be able to come back to the temple. What if I have questions? How will I talk to you?"

"I am a part of you. When you need to talk to me again, you will find a way. Chenlian will also be there to advise and protect you and help you in any way she can." Roku closed his eyes, providing a vision of the Fire Navy ships waiting in the bay outside the Fire Temple. "A great danger awaits you at the temple. I can help you face the threat. WE can help you." He then showed Commander Zhao and his troops in battle positions outside the sanctuary doors. The arrow on Aang's head began to glow. "But only if you are ready." Aang opened his eyes. They were glowing. He opened his mouth to speak. His mouth was glowing too.

"I'm ready."

Coming from inside the sanctuary, a white light blinded everyone outside. Smoke billowed out from the bottom of the door. The Fire Sages stood there, looking at the floor in shock and fear. The light continued to grow. Shyu Katara and Sokka turned their heads away to shield their eyes but Zhao and his troops stood firmly in front of the door that was slowly beginning to open. The light became too strong for Prince Zuko who also averted his eyes.

"Ready..."

The light faded and the doors now almost fully open revealed two large eyes glowing in the dark of the sanctuary. Smoke was still emanating from the sanctuary. Sokka and Katara were struggling against their chains.

"No! Aang!" Katara cried terrified. Another pair of eyes glowed gold behind the Avatar.

"Fire!" Zhao commanded. He and his firebenders shot fire blasts at the Avatar. However, all that fire power was held at the door and manipulated into a gigantic ball of swirling flames that slowly started to open. At the heart of the circling fire was Avatar Roku, his eyes glowing. Zhao could only look with horror as the previous Avatar was revealed in his wrath.

"Avatar Roku!" Shyu whispered in awe. Avatar Roku drew the circling fire together in one motion before sending it forward in one powerful wave that seared the room, blasting the offenders off their feet and precisely melting the chains binding Katara, Sokka, Shyu and Zuko. The prince, now free, did not lose one second to run. From behind the Avatar, a girl leapt and with another blast, destroyed part of the wall. Avatar Roku, turned his glowing glare upon the offending sages who panicked and all turned to run for their lives.

"Avatar Roku's going to destroy the temple! We have to get out of here!" Shyu warned them his tone urgent and imploring.

"Not without Aang!" Katara replied. Avatar Roku raised his arm and brought it down, rending and melting the floor, leaving a molten firebending trail. He steadily raised his arm again causing the stream of lava below to erupt in maddened explosion. He pulled the magma from deep within the volcano and it soared up through the temple, tearing it apart. The lava exploded out of the very top of the temple. Zhao and his men raced down the stairs in fear. But Sokka and Katara were still there huddled together, crouched behind a column for protection the older brother over his little sister. Avatar Roku lowered his hands and exhaled. Inside the sanctuary, the sunlight had moved up the statue's face. The eyes of the statue were no longer illuminated by the setting sun of the solstice. All smoke drew back toward Roku, completely shrouding him. The smoke swirled and dissipated, revealing an extremely weary Aang. The boy groaned and sank to the floor. Katara and Sokka ran to his side.

"We got your back." Sokka said comfortingly.

"Thanks. Where's Shyu?" The child asked. But they did not know.

"They took him." A voice answered. It was that girl. She was standing there, in front of the stairs and the hole she had blown. "You should hurry if you don't want to die." And indeed, the temple was starting to lean and sink.

"And you! Why are you not-" Sokka began but stopped dead. He, Katara and Aang looked with horror at the lava that had filled the stairs. One of the columns crashed on the floor behind them. But the girl was impervious to it all.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright. Your friends are coming for us." She smiled. For some reason, there was not an ounce of fear or doubt to her. The siblings thought she was crazy but Aang seemed strangely taken by her and did not doubt her words. None of them were aware of it yet, but she was not the type to speak foolishly nor was it simple optimism. She was just speaking her feelings. There was a quiet, serene strength and confidence that emanated from her, a comforting, reassuring presence that would make people believe her, trust her, rely on her, and feel that she would make everything alright. Suddenly, they gasped. Momo and Appa were flying full speed towards the temple. The four slid down one of the peaks of the temple and leaped onto Appa's back. The bison zoomed away just as the temple sank further. They were all on the saddle. Momo hopped onto his lap, chattering, the hat of one of the Fire Sages on his head. Behind them, the temple exploded.

"No prince. No Avatar. Apparently the only thing I do have is five traitors." Zhao spat venomously.

"But Commander, only Shyu helped the Avatar." The great sage interjected.

"Save your stories for the Fire Lord. As far as I'm concerned, you're all guilty! Take them to the prison hold!"

Zuko's ship was sailing away from the ruined Fire Temple. The teen watched the bison fly away and slowly lowered his spy glass, pensively staring in the direction with an indescribable expression on his face. When he had looked back for a second at the top of the stairs, he thought he had seen a familiar profile. But it couldn't be. She couldn't be here. It was impossible. And so he would do his best to try to ignore the contradictory hopes tugging at his heart; hope she had actually been there, hope she had not. He wanted to see her again, he wanted to talk to her, and yet was scared of all the implications of such a meeting.

On Appa, now that things had finally settled down, Aang, Katara and Sokka turned toward the girl. Sokka asked who she was.

"Who I am? Well, I am a firebender..." Chenlian produced a flame that hovered over her open right palm. The siblings stared at her in shock.


	11. Friends and foes

**Fight 11: Friends and Foes**

"Who I am? Well, I am a firebender..." Chenlian produced a flame that hovered over her open right palm. The siblings stared at her in shock. "... and I am the Avatar's ally. My name is Chenlian."

"How could a firebender be our ally? Or they thought a girl could make us lower our guard so you could strike us in the back?! We can't trust you!" Sokka and Katara were ready to attack. Aang defended her however. Shyu was also a firebender and he did help them. She was the one from the visions, and more than anything, she had Avatar Roku's trust! The monk was so adamant that Katara agreed to wait until they were completely safe to sort this out. She made her brother lower his weapon and they flew through the moonlit night.

The next morning, Aang Sokka and Katara were awakened by a nice smell. They groggily looked from the saddle to see a pot on a cooking fire where a deliciously flavoured congee was simmering. Staked fish were also leaning against the fire. And there was a bowl with a salad of wild herbs and nuts. Sokka's stomach growled. Because of their distrust of the firebender, the siblings (and especially the boy) had stayed up really late – or early – before sleep overcame them at last. On the contrary, Chenlian had spent a very peaceful night, relieved that she had at last reached the starting line, and that she did not have to be so tense and alert, although she was not completely relaxed either. But she was not alone anymore. She had woken up early and all fresh and decided to make herself useful by preparing breakfast. She had collected the wood and some wild herbs and nuts and berries to conserve their vegetables. And while waiting for the food to cook and her companions to wake up she had been training.

After having cleaned their bowls, it was finally time to talk.

"Sokka, yesterday you asked how I could be your ally. I know what the Fire Nation did to the world, and I want to do everything in my power to right that wrong. The Fire Nation citizens have forgotten what's truly important and I want to remind them, I want to save them from themselves. That is the main reason. This war must stop. It has made far enough victims, those who died, and those who didn't. And I also have a grudge against Fire Lord Ozai... partly because of that." She unbuttoned the top of her cloth to reveal a horrible burn mark, right at the place of her heart chakra. The three humans recoiled. "My grandfather was once an honored admiral and master firebender. But he hated his own art. In order to learn from him, I had to study the other cultures and bending styles. Because of his views and how strongly he disagreed with Ozai's cruel and oppressive ways, he defected from the military. The Fire Lord retaliated and took advantage of the situation to get rid of our troublesome family by making it seem like my parents had been planning a coup d'etat. He banished them and took me prisoner. But I found out that this wasn't even the main point. What Ozai wanted was to seal a Dragon spirit inside me and hold a living weapon of great power in his hands and have control over me and my deserter of a grandfather. Controlling such a weapon would be showing off his power and aid in establishing his authority. And control over a spirit would mean having a foot in the spirit world. However there were risks. You couldn't mess easily with the spirit world which was why they took someone with enough power but who was not blood related to them, killing several birds with one stone.

At that time, there were still a few Fire Sages with strong spirituality who could go to the Spirit World. They too were deceived, so they could more easily deceive the dragon. All were told: 'the Fire Lord seeks to rekindle their bonds with the spirits, with the dragons and apologise for their wrongdoings. As sign of faith, the Fire Lord himself offered that his own body served as host for one of you.' And one dragon came. But when the Sages realized they had been duped, that the host was not the one they thought, they rebelled. The fusion still took place but not quite as smoothly as it should have, leaving that scar. The dragon, Guang, furious, took control of her body and went on a rampage. That's how we escaped." She buttoned her clothes back up.

"The first thing I did after escaping was look for my parents, but they had already been killed by an assassin and when I tried to track him down I found out he had already been disposed of. Unable to erase, direct, or vent my hatred, I despaired and for over a year, I wandered through the world, trying to find out how things had become like this, what I had become, trying to keep my sense of self and not be overcome with hatred, bitterness, and resentment, trying find a purpose, a reason to keep walking, to become stronger, trying to avoid pursuit and survive in a world where everyone saw you as an enemy. Although I did make a few rare friends... That's when I learned how to make traps and about the edible plants and how to cook them if I didn't want to starve. I learned how to make remedies for bug bites, burns, cuts, bruises, various illnesses, and how to counter the poison from some animals and plants if I didn't want to die like a dog. And I learned how to cohabit with a spirit, how to share our consciousnesses and body, and use our power. In the end, over two years ago, I was captured in the Earth Kingdom when trying to go back to my grandfather. It was a poor family in a poor village who reported me as they wanted the bounty on my head and had no scruples as I was a firebender. I was drugged and put in a forced half conscious state. And that was when I learned how to enter into the spirit world and to project my own spirit to keep track of the happenings in this world... That's how we could as spirits go to the Fire Temple during a previous Solstice to talk to Avatar Roku. And then with time the amount of 'medicine' decreased and I was able to escape again when I sensed it was time a little over three weeks ago." Chenlian narrated.

"Because trust is important for that task, I will not hide anything from you. I'm aware that the presence of a firebender might close some doors at first, but I want to believe that it can also be seen as a good sign that things are beginning to change. Hope itself is our most important ally." She continued gravely before a sad and self-mocking smile appeared on her lips. "And also, as an excellent firebender and daughter of the nobility, I know your enemies better than you do, and I know Prince Zuko and why he's so intent on capturing the Avatar. Well, I say I know him but it has been many years since we last spoke. Things changed since then, HE changed. So I cannot really say until I see for myself and speak with him. But don't worry: I'll protect you even from him."

They were flying on Appa again. Sokka was on the driver's seat. Below them was a sea of clouds and mist, and around them were mountain peaks with still a few twisted growing from their incredibly steep sides. Chenlian had given them many things to ponder. What more, she had spoken with such strength and conviction that their hearts could not deny it even if they wanted to. She had told them the truth. They had seen her honesty and straightforwardness, and how she wanted to stay with them and help them. And while they did not know yet about her combat skills, they knew they could use her wits and knowledge of the enemies... and her cooking skills. At least they concluded that trusting her shouldn't hurt for now. At her request, they had also told her about their 'adventures' up until their meeting. The account had been more detailed than she had expected and she was glad of this vow of trust.

But after that Aang started freaking out and pacing up and down the saddle. Sokka told him he'd go flying off if they hit a bump and asked him what was bugging him. The boy was anxious that he could not master all four elements before the comet arrived as he was supposed to. The warrior cracked that it had only taken Aang 112 years to master airbending and so he was sure he could master the three others before summer. That terrified him even more. They were still weeks away from the North Pole and he hadn't even started learning waterbending! Katara grabbed his hand and pulled him down in a kneeling position in front of her and took both his hands in hers. She generously offered to teach him what she knew. Aang graciously accepted.

"Excellent idea. That's why I'll be testing you first on your individual fighting skills as well as your teamwork." Chenlian suddenly declared.

"Wait, what?! I'm not gonna be trained by some Fire Nation chick!" Sokka protested, surprised by the suddenness of the announcement and how that firebender was already acting like she was the leader. Katara frowned, disliking the tone and the sound of it, that arrogance, that high-handedness, that standoffishness... was she being condescending? She really thought herself so superior? Was she belittling them?

"Excuse-me? You think we're not capable of protecting Aang?" She asked, piqued in her pride.

"I don't know. That's the purpose of the test. With what's waiting ahead of us, don't you think it's best to know about each other's abilities?" Chenlian replied sincerely with a small smile that felt more like a provocative smirk. She might or might not have been aware of it, but she was extremely sharp in more ways than one... that edge in her tone, her gaze, her wits... even though she was merely being rational, the needled waterbender could not help but interpret it as a challenge... Then again, it was true Chenlian had always loved challenges so she was – probably – doing it unconsciously... 'if you don't like me or my attitude, come and give me your best shot'... was it? Sensing the tension that was dangerously rising, Aang tried to intervene.

"Calm down you guys, I'm sure she didn't mean any harm, it's just that her tone lacks a bit of cordiality, right, Chenlian?" The boy looked at her with big hopeful eyes, like silently begging her to agree and give him her sweetest smile. She stared at him for a long time, just like the siblings were staring at her, waiting for her answer. After fifteen seconds she closed her eyes and cleared her throat, no longer able to bear it, and turned around to look down from the saddle.

"More importantly, we need a consequent source of water for you two."

"Oh, yeah, maybe we can find a puddle for them to splash in." Sokka said, suddenly less offensive, the ghost of a smirk slightly curving the corner of his lips. He had caught a little something in that girl's expression that had reassured him a bit. He was more observant and open-minded than what he appeared to be. Although it was not like he trusted her yet, and he was still quite stubborn...

"Nice puddle." Sokka and Chenlian both said in the same time, raising one of their eyebrows as the two others looked with sparkly eyes and huge grins at waterfall lagoon. It was a relatively secluded area with a huge waterfall and a beautiful lagoon, not too deep, not too shallow, surrounded by fragrant and evergreen pine trees. A hidden paradise, providing safety and privacy for those who wished to remain incognito, and ideally located near a pier with a market where travellers could buy most wares. Appa swan dived. The wave crashed over Momo who was on a rock on the catch basin, soaking him. The bison rolled over the water, relaxing and grunting happily. Aang had already removed all his cloths but his underwear and was ready to join in the fun when the girls stopped him. The boy put his clothes back on, expecting to be the first one to be tested... but it was not the case.

"Alright, Sokka. You're first. I can understand you don't want your butt kicked by a girl again, but if you want to be picky about gender and origins, say that again after you've won against me." Chenlian challenged him.

"Really, no offence Chenlian, but as I said I don't think I need training from a Fire Nation chick." The warrior replied smugly. He had understood that girls were not weak. But he'd still be doubly ashamed to lose against a female firebender.

"Oh, really?" She suddenly lunged at him and heavily punched him in the guts, knocking the air out of him. Without letting him the time to recover, she twirled and followed with a roundhouse kick that connected with the right side of his face. As he was sent flying, she grabbed his right arm, twisting it as she passed behind him before sweeping his legs from under him. Before anyone could do anything, it was over, and there she was, one foot on his shoulder, one hand keeping his wrist bent and arm stretched out and one fist directed toward him, as if ready to blow him with a fire blast. "And here I was wondering what kind of great warrior you were, with your being so smug... really, no offence Sokka but as I said, I don't think you can afford being picky..." Echoing his previous words, her eyebrows delicately twisted, Chenlian looked down at the Water Tribesman with pity and a condescending smile. If that could make him serious and feel that necessary sense of urgency, she would do anything. It was not good to panic, but it was not good either to be so laid back. Her face grew hard again. She let go and backed a few meters. "Stand up! Are you a man or a baby girl?! I won't go easy on you. I don't go easy on anyone. So you better not go easy on me. I'm not asking you to kill. But don't go easy on your opponent because they won't go easy on you. Actual fighting is the fastest way to grow stronger and gain experience. I understand you didn't have much of an opportunity until then. But it's war. They'll want the Avatar alive because if they killed him he would just be reborn and everything would repeat itself. But there's no reason to let you live. That's why you don't have time to stay sprawled out on the ground. And that's why I don't want to hear any of your naïve soft-hearted crap again. Now fight!" The stern and merciless disciplinarian commanded harshly.

This time it was Sokka's turn to lunge. Incensed, he went for kick to her left side that she blocked with her right palm. When his foot touched the ground again she stepped on it and in a circular movement avoided and parried a punch with her left forearm, her extended right fingers jabbed his throat, her left palm slammed against his chin and her left foot collided strongly with the left side of his head before she quickly backed away, ready to strike again despite knowing it was not necessary. Sokka fell to his knees, coughing from the blow to his windpipe. His head was hurting but Chenlian did not plan on letting him go just yet. Far from that.

Since until then, the girl had maintained a certain distance and mainly avoided and parried, Sokka tried to bring the match to close combat with a punch much more compact than the previous ones. She parried, her forearm against his, hit his nose with her right palm, her left arm coiled around his right and she struck his shoulder with a knifehand. Then with a low kick, she swept again his legs from under him, slid her arm back, grabbed his elbow and kept it against his body with one knee while she pressed her other foot on his abdomen and with leopard fists dealt consecutive blows in rapid fire to the solar plexus, the shoulder joints and the throat before using her foot on his abdomen to do a back flip and gracefully land a few meters back. She left him some time to recover. Of course she had held back or it could have been dangerous. She could kill but was a strong advocator of NON-killing. Chenlian had deliberately made that attack more difficult for Sokka. She wanted to know if he would still stand up and want to fight after that.

"Stop it!" Katara suddenly yelled. "It should be enough, right? Don't you think you're overdoing it?! There's no need to be so brutal and ruthless, is there?! You're being cruel! Or do you just enjoy humiliating us? Unless you just want to kill him...?!" She stormed.

"Humph, if I wanted to kill him I would have done so already, especially with those blows to his throat. And even without killing him, I could have broken a few bones or dislocated a few joints. Now keep quiet and watch him. He's the only one who can decide whether to fight or give up. Or are you implying that your brother is weak?" Chenlian provoked them again, her amber eyes more piercing and penetrating than an eagle's. She knew that when people were cornered and at their limits, they would either give up or surpass themselves. And so she trusted Sokka to surpass himself. The waterbender forced back the cold heat pricking the back of her neck and tried to bite back at the firebender but she was interrupted by her brother.

"That's alright Katara. Just keep quiet and watch me." Sokka ordered firmly.

"But Sokka-!"

"Katara! Just trust me, okay? We warriors of the Water Tribe fight to the finish. I won't go down so easily, and I'll prove her wrong. So trust me!" That was right. Sokka was still a warrior. He stood up his eyes blazing. Katara reluctantly agreed.

"I'll praise your bravery and your will of fire." Chenlian smiled sincerely, her eyes blazing too. Once more, he went for a punch, she stepped out, grabbed his wrist, and in a flowing motion struck his side under his arm, then the same place again with her elbow, locked his arm, made him kneel down by hitting the back of his knee with her own knee, and freed his arm only to hit the side of his face again. The male warrior fell to the side, hurt all over. The session was still not quite finished, but he had passed the critical point.

"Alright Sokka, now I'll use the usual style used by the Fire Nation, then we'll see how you behave with weapons and how you react against firebending attacks."

"What?! There's more?! Why didn't you use that style from the beginning?!" The boy demanded angrily.

"Because if my calculations are correct, it should be easier for you to block and dodge my attacks. It would also be great if you could retaliate in the same time. The forms I normally use are influenced by the other bending styles so they're more difficult to counter. If you are used to my speed and movements, you should have less problems discerning and countering the direct attacks used by your average fire soldiers. But only you can prove that." She explained serious again, but still glad to see how engrossed Sokka had become in that test/training session. She liked people who were eager to learn. And indeed, as she had assumed, he lasted much longer, and did much better. If she had slacked off even a little bit in her own training after escaping, she would have certainly suffered.

Then they trained with weapons. First thing, Chenlian dodged lightly, stepped in, and had the tip of her sword against his throat. Second thing, she stepped out, twirled and slashed at his neck again, stopping just in time. After that he slowly grew accustomed to her patterns until she irregularly alternated between directness and deviousness.

And at last the female used her wide range of firebending attacks to test and improve his reflexes and ability to dodge. Aang and Katara were amazed. Even though Katara was more reluctant to admit it. That girl, Chenlian, was different from every firebender they had seen, but she was doubtlessly a firebender too. Only she explored a different aspect of fire. While of course she could use straight attacks and rely on sheer power, even though she did not lose any of her aggressiveness, her graceful, hypnotic, and nonetheless incredibly fast and sharp movements reminded them of a beautifully dancing flame. And while her actions may seem utterly unpredictable, she was in fact minutely controlling the whole fight by adapting herself to Sokka's reactions. She was also killing two birds with one stone by turning this test into her own training session. Well, she had made him an example now she was going to see the two benders.

Then it was Katara's turn. Chenlian first tested her abilities in close to mid-range fights first with hand-to-hand combat before using her sword. The waterbender was tested near the water source but also away from it. She did relatively well when she would use ice and not plain water, although she lacked speed, control, power and diversity. That was still not quite enough. When the firebender decided to at last use her bending, she wanted to hit hard (not physically but emotionally) from the get go by utilizing her grandfather's signature. She created a big wall of flame she launched forward like a wave that vanished just as it arrived. The shocked Katara saw the other female run at her, leap, do a front flip, fire shooting from her feet. The waterbender barely protected herself but was knocked off her feet by the impact.

"Someone who can't even protect herself can't protect anyone." Chenlian looked down at her, her tone bitterly truthful, and even more so since she was talking out of experience. She was fluidly streaming a shapeless flame before turning it into a ball and throwing it at Katara. It scorched the ground just at the left of her head. Her striking hard from the beginning and being harsher than usual was to show them how powerful she was and anger them so they would give their whole to defeat her. And once they were overwhelmingly defeated and saw the gap between them, they would understand how much stronger they had to get and there would be less complaints when she'd say it was time to train... The waterbender bolted upright, more furious than ever.

"I AM capable of protecting myself and everyone! Or we wouldn't have gone that far already!"

"With that level? Who are you trying to fool, me, or yourself? I guess you must have been incredibly lucky. Or rather, Aang did most of the fighting, didn't he? Well, some people say that luck is part of strength to justify their own shortcomings, but I don't rely on luck, only on my own abilities."

"Well, at least **_I _**didn't get captured!" Chenlian's words had stung her more than she would admit. And to avert herself from the truth of those words, she used the only weakness she knew to bring her down from her pedestal and drag her into the dirt. The girl remained completely silent and impassive for a time, before closing her eyes.

"Even if I was drugged, even I was poisoned by those villagers I wanted to trust and who had betrayed me without a second thought to have the bounty for my head, I still could not allow danger to befall them because of my fight. Or maybe I should have let the hostages get killed? Right, I should also be telling you this since they might come after you. The Rough Rhinos are a group of elite komodo rhino cavalry. They are five members who work freelance for the Fire Nation and have no scruples slaughtering people and destroying whole villages. They each specialize in a weapon/fighting style though neither of them are good at close combat. The leader is a firebender, one carries chains, another a halberd, another specializes in explosives and the last is an archer that often uses lit arrows. I believe he had been part of a certain group of elite, extremely agile, and highly proficient archers capable of pinning you to a tree over a hundred yards away. They're recognizable thanks to the red paint around their eyes. They're more dangerous than the Rough Rhinos." The female firebender paused to let everything sink in. They had caught a glimpse of her abilities... and yet... "Katara, are you confident enough to beat them the way you are now, when I couldn't?" Chenlian asked again. Katara could not answer. "If you're not then let's get back down to business." She assumed a fighting stance. They sparred again for sometime. The waterbender had become more vicious in both her attacks and defences. But it was still not enough. Someone who let anger blind them to the point they would lose their cool had no way of winning.

And then it was Aang's turn at last. As expected, he was the most challenging one. He more than deserved his status of airbender and master of evasion. With him, she really did not hold back, using all her experience and tricks. And yet she only barely managed to bring him down once, although he quickly freed himself again. It was true that she was still rusted from her about two years and a half in jail... but still! And the feeling was mutual. He would not show it, but Aang had rarely fought so hard... And again when the firebender tested their combination play, she noticed that it was Aang who made up for 75% of their force. But she liked how they all covered for each other. They were very united and protective. Which was what this world needed the most. Chenlian harshly reviewed them all, though especially the Southern Water Tribe siblings, precisely pointing out everything, which they, and particularly Katara, found too abusive to endure without speaking up. The way she was treating them was just too much! She was just like all those Fire Nation people who can smile and trample on people and feelings without hesitation and who really don't give a damn about anyone but themselves! And while the waterbender was ranting and venting her anger, the firebender remained as quiet and impassive as a stone.

"I won't care now even if I'm hated, despised or distrusted, after all, that isn't the first time and certainly won't be the last. Yes I'm a firebender, yes I'm Fire Nation, but if you dislike me for that reason, you're just like that nation that looks down on others. But if it's just my attitude then I'm fine with it. That's right, we don't have time to lose. You need to become stronger as fast as possible. And for that I will do anything but I won't pamper you. People who wish to become stronger should not be pampered. I hate the Fire Lord. I hate him so much that I want to completely smash everything that he is, his mind, his body, his convictions, the thing that takes the place of his heart everything...!" Chenlian clenched her fists so tight that her knuckles were turning white. Her implacable voice was dripping with such poison that they would not have expected of her, her attractive and charming features were distorted with unimaginable pain and hatred, but also yearning, yearning for something that she knew impossible. There was no way she could lie. And they could feel the violence and poignancy of her emotions even more keenly as they resonated through their own hearts. They shared a similar pain. They were alike. "But no matter how much I wish to, I can't do that. Even if I did, everything I lost would never come back, and I would lose everything that is left of myself. I would be unable to restore my family's honor, unable to change anything or save anyone! To the world this would have been revenge and not justice. The only one who can pass judgement on the Fire Lord is the Avatar. That man wanted to make our family disappear, but as long as I am alive and as long as I am myself, I can fight him any way I can and I won't ever bow down to him. I promised I would not seek revenge for myself, I promised I would not cry, I would stay strong and uphold our honour, our principles, and our convictions. And I promised I would regain our family's honour, our nation's honour, and help set everything back to the way they should be. That's why with these hands, even at the risk of my life I will protect you, all of you! And I won't die either. After cursing my powerlessness for so long I don't want to let anyone die again. That's why I will become stronger, as strong as I can, and I must make you stronger even if you hate me." Chenlian declared again with unyielding conviction. There was a long silence. Aang, Katara, and Sokka looked at each other. They had certainly not expected her to snap and burst like this... Nor had she. She had never imagined she had come so close to her own emotional limits that she would snap like that. Nor had she imagined that they would suddenly take her into a tight and warm group hug.

"That's why you shouldn't try to bear everything alone. Don't underestimate us!" The waterbender affirmed with a sincere and confident smile.

"That's right, you're not alone anymore. You have us now. We're your family." Aang smiled warmly and kindly, repeating for Chenlian the words Katara had saved him with.

"Man... Fire Nation people are always so conceited... you're still a girl so it's your duty to rely on us." Sokka 'complained' with a smug smile despite his awkward countenance. He was obviously trying to give himself airs. The firebender's eyes widened. Even though she had just said she would not cry, she was so close to crying. She quickly closed them. It was not the first time she had heard those words. Nor was it the first time that they had been said with such utter sincerity... But it was the first time she felt that she could be herself, without having to hide anything, and without fear for herself or the people she was staying with, and still be whole-heartedly accepted. The first time she felt she could entrust her soul to someone else without a second thought, and that in return they would never betray her, and protect her with everything they had... although she was the one who said she would help them and protect them...

"You're really a funny bunch..." For the first time in her life, people, companions, that were not family, she could share anything with... "You still have a lot more work to do before you can make me..." She said, her lips curving upward, her tone and smile expressing everything she could not put into words. How glad she was to the point of tears, her relief, her gratefulness... "Well, I said a lot but I just love training and I've been training every day since I escaped when you didn't even think about it all these weeks and it just occurred to you... really... what have you been doing?" She told them condescendingly, tauntingly, and half-truthfully. The more she smiled, the brighter and more genuine her smile. And they replied in kind by making her fall and piling on her, holding her down, with Momo on top, although he soon ran away when Appa arrived to put his huge head onto them, the water still dripping from his fur. They had won at last. Everyone laughed heartily. The Avatar, and the siblings had understood that like them, she was just another victim of this war, and unlike them, she had fought alone for too long, and had become too accustomed to it. She had forgotten what it was to be with people and had grown extremely awkward. She wasn't mean by nature, just too frank, or outspoken, or direct, or straightforward, or blunt, or brusque... for her own good. And because she was like this, she was not the type to deceive, manipulate, or stab in the back, at least not easily, and not without a very good reason.

At last, Katara made everyone stop: jokes aside, it was true they had a lot more work to do... time to practice waterbending! Chenlian went to gather firewood and prepare lunch while Sokka resignedly accepted to work hard picking the mud and bugs from the giant bison's toes, while the two others would be 'playing in the water'...

On the main deck of his ship, Prince Zuko was sparring. Jets of fire were flying around when suddenly the ship tilted to starboard, knocking both combatants off balance and sending them against the rail. Not long later, he stormed into the bridge, demanding what was the meaning of this mutiny. No one had told them to change course!

"Actually, someone did. I assure you it is a matter of utmost importance, Prince Zuko." Iroh contradicted him, not looking up from the game of Pai Sho he was playing with some crew members. He was stroking his beard, deeply in thought and frowning slightly, obviously more preoccupied by the game than by his nephew. Zuko assumed, hoped, it was something to do with the Avatar. "Even more urgent. It seems I-I've lost my lotus tile." The old man dramatically put a hand on his head before moving a piece on the board, puzzling his nephew. "For my Pai Sho game. Most people think the lotus tile insignificant, but it is essential for the unusual strategy that I employ." The elder explained, moving another piece.

"You've changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?" The prince asked again, angry and incredulous.

"See, you, like most people, underestimate its value. Just give me ten minutes to check the merchants at this port of call. Hopefully they'll have the lotus tile in stock and I can get on with my life!" His uncle punctuated his speech with gestures and timely, exaggerated expressions for more impact. The teen struggled to contain his anger, ultimately releasing a plume of flame from his gritted teeth. It licked over the ceiling, and smoke clouded the present people for a few seconds.

"I'm lucky to have such an understanding nephew." The former general smiled both ironically and gratefully.

"Yeah, don't get too happy. You gotta do me next." Sokka said as he was rubbing the leafy branch Aang had given him between Appa's toes. The bison was floating on his back and grunting happily. And the boy's comment made him rumble even more happily and flap his ears and six legs. Aang and Katara were at the river bank. The child was sitting cross-legged while the girl was explaining the basics of waterbending.

"This is a pretty basic move, but it still took me months to perfect, so don't be frustrated if you don't get it right away. Just push and pull the water like this." She began to bob gracefully back and forth, the water moving back and forth along with her. "The key is getting the wrist movement right."

"Like this?" The Avatar stood up and imitated her.

"That's almost right, if you keep practicing, I'm sure eventually-"

"Hey, I'm bending it already!" Aang exclaimed gleefully as indeed a respectably sized wave of water was being pushed and pulled along with his movements... much to Katara's surprise and envy... She couldn't believe he got that so quickly. It had taken her two months to learn that move. She sounded unhappy.

"Well, you had to figure it out on your own. I'm lucky enough to have a great teacher." The airbender skilfully justified himself. Katara thanked him, smiling back at him. Next they tried a more difficult move: streaming the water. The girl moved her hands and pulled out of a stream of water from the river and began to loop it around. She warned him it was harder than it looked but again, Aang had already mastered this move, and was moving around his stream of water as if it were a toy as she stood motionless, her water hanging in mid-air. After a minute of watching Aang play around and neatly stream back the liquid in the river, Katara dropped her water which splashed on the ground. She had a sour look on her face.

"Nice work, though the over-the-head flare was unnecessary." She commented dryly.

"Sorry. Well, don't stop now, keep'em coming!" He punched the air enthusiastically.

"Well, I kinda know this one other move, but it's pretty hard. I haven't even totally figured it out yet. The idea is to create a big, powerful wave." Katara concentrated, raised a blob of water out of the river, but it fell back when she lost her focus. Aang set up to try. He raised his hands and a huge wall of water shot up into the air. Sokka turned around to see that huge mass of water overshadowing him and his eyes widened in fear.

"Aaaaaaaaannnngg!" His voice trailed off fearfully and warningly. But he could not escape his fate and got washed away as the wave broke over him and Appa. He resurfaced.

"Looks like I got the hang of that move! What else ya got?" The child asked confidently.

"That's enough practicing for today." Katara snapped, her tone and expression very cross.

"Yeah, I'll say! You just practiced our supplies down the river!" Sokka exclaimed as they watched some of their bags floating rapidly down the river. The Avatar apologised sheepishly. "Ugh, it was hard enough when you were just an airbender." The male warrior complained, sinking back into the water.

"Now, now. We've still got my stuff. I have food and money and I can also earn more by playing the pipa in the street. It'll be alright. Until then, how about some food to lift your spirits?" Chenlian smiled sweetly. The more time passed, the brighter and more charming she was. It was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders and mind. All these years and especially this last month up to now must have really weighed a lot on her, more than she would admit, because she would always act strong and refuse to show any weakness. While she grasped that acknowledging your weaknesses was a strength in itself, she was still simply incapable of doing it before people.

She had made a salad, while the fish and vegetables, roots and mushrooms were cooking. Sokka jumped out of the water screaming "Food!", Aang was already sitting and holding out his bowl at arm length. Even Katara could not help but smile a little in anticipation.

The four teens and the lemur were walking down a market street of a port village full of tough looking sailors, merchants and shady types. A big man was holding up a much smaller one for an unknown reason, as the smaller one was begging him to put him down. Another shopkeeper in blue was addressing a crowd, holding up a sack and asking who was brave enough to look into this bag. The water siblings did not look too good, contrary to Aang who was quite excited by this slight sense of danger. Chenlian was merely looking around alertly. However, the maroon-haired girl soon claimed to have something to do and left the group for some time.

"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money that King Bumi gave us. Let's spend it wisely." Sokka said coming out of a shop some time later.

"Uhh, make that two copper pieces, Sokka. I couldn't say no to this whistle!" Aang produced a white whistle in the shape of a bison from behind his back before drawing in a great breath and blowing into it. Sokka plugged his ears but nothing happened.

"It doesn't even work." The warrior said. Momo chittered into Aang's ear as his master stopped blowing into it. "See, even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk."

"No offense, Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Katara told her friend gently but firmly. The boy handed over the money to Katara with a guilty expression. Chenlian, who had just come back from another alley, took Sokka a little away from the other two. He might not be the most excellent warrior, but she trusted his sense of organisation, responsibility, and economy, contrary to Aang who'd flounder it all on passing whims and trifles... although it would not be so bad to indulge once in a while. She told him about the stack of Earth Kingdom money a friend and ally (Master Piandao) had given her. She had left most in Appa's care (after the water incident) but had taken a little with her. And she had also just changed some of her Fire Nation currency into Earth Kingdom currency. The two of them decided to split some of the copper pieces she had between the three of them while the little kid was drawn to some other 'attraction'.

They then went to the port where a number of ships was moored, and in front of one of the larger ones at the dock, a crew member was soliciting customers from all nations who would be interested in bargains... He had tanned skin, long auburn hair held by a green headband, large circle earrings, a small mustache, and he was dressed all in green. He did not look any more respectable than most men on this dock. He noticed the four teens in disparate cloths and immediately hailed them and ran to them.

"Oh! You there! I can see by your clothing that you're world traveling types. Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" He inquired. Chenlian, Katara, and Sokka kept walking without paying attention but Aang's curiosity got the best of him...

"Sure! What are curios?" The child asked, interested. The barked paused and answered.

"I'm not entirely sure, but we got'em!" The pirate (obviously) took Aang by the shoulders to the ship, a wide grin on his face. And the three others had no choice but to follow. The four looked around at the miscellaneous wares. It was often hard to find a use for this or that object. Aang was often gaping. Katara was momentarily mesmerized by a stone monkey of significant size, richly jeweled with large, blood red rubies. It looked creepy.

"I've never seen such a fine specimen of lemur. That beast would fetch me a hefty sum, if you'd be interested in bartering." A sinister voice said as its owner - the Captain -emerged from a dark doorway. He was dressed in shades of slightlty reddish brown wearing a wide brim hat and has a huge green parrot-like creature on his shoulder, which screamed several times. He looked in his fifties, with long dark grey hair, sharp, angled features and sly, piercing eyes.

"Momo's not for sale." Aang replied, hugging his lemur protectively. After a quick defiant chatter at the bird creature, Momo just as quickly hid in his master's arms. Katara walked over to a scroll rack, and on the thinnest one, recognised the water symbol carved at its end. She opened it to see the instructions on how to perform various waterbending moves. Her whole face lit up. She called Aang to show it to him. Curious, Chenlian also took a look. She and the child asked the captain where he had got it. The old man's hand suddenly slammed down upon it. He rolled it up and smiling ominously, merely said he had got it up north... at a most reasonable price...: free. He placed the scroll back in the rack, not noticing how hungrily the waterbender was eyeing it.

"Waaait a minute... sea-loving traders with suspiciously acquired merchandise...and pet reptile birds... You guys are pirates!" Sokka finally realized. He had taken his sweet time. The barker put his arm around Sokka's shoulders and smiled connivingly.

"We prefer to think of ourselves as '_high risk traders_'..." He winked at the young man. Katara looked at the two measly copper pieces in her hand and turned to the captain. She asked how much for the... _traded _scroll, obviously not thinking much of these people and their way of doing business, from her raised eyebrow. But the pirate had already got a buyer, a nobleman in the Earth Kingdom.

"Unless, of course, you kids have 200 gold pieces on ya right now?" He challenged them, knowing full well it was not the case. Aang offered his friend to deal with these guys as pirates loved to haggle and told her to watch and learn. She gave him the two copper pieces as she did not want to reveal more or pay any money for scroll stolen from another waterbender. The girl withdrew while, leaning nonchalantly on the desk, with a grin on his face, the boy suggested the price of one copper piece.

"Hahaha! The price is 200 gold pieces. I don't haggle on items this rare."

"Okay two copper pieces!" He proudly presented the second piece.

"It's not as amusing the second time, boy." The captain warned him sternly. Katara went back to Aang and told him she wanted to get out of here, pretexting she felt like we're getting weird looks. Chenlian wanted to leave too. She did not like this place either, although the true reason was that she had seen something that would get them in big trouble as soon as it was found out. She had not prevented it because she thought it was the right thing to do. But yes, better leave quick...

"Aye, we be castin' off now!" The little monk said, quite in his role.

Once out, the two boys asked what it was about, Sokka especially had been interested in their boomerang collection. Katara just hugged herself and said she'd feel a lot better away from here. The firebender remained quiet. It was then that the pirate who had solicited them originally ran across the deck shouting at them to get back here. Aang thought they come to their senses and that the haggling had paid off. Like angry bees from a beehive the pirates left their ship to go after the four kids. Suddenly, the group was faced with about a dozen of well-armed and obviously angry pirates. They had definitely not come to trade with them. The frightened teens ran off with the sea rovers after them. The youths ran down an alley and the pirates split into two groups, one following the runaways while the other, led by the pirate barker, went in another direction to catch them between the hammer and the anvil.

The four teens turned the corner around a building, Katara waterbending some water from a nearby stall onto the ground and freezing it as she passed. The lead pirate slipped and hit the ground but the others passed without problems. Further down the street, the same cabbage dealer from Omashu was lovingly nuzzling one of his cabbages before putting it back in his portable stand, which was full of cabbages. As he began to wheel it away Sokka and Katara run by, bumping the cart and knocking off some of the vegetables. The shopkeeper saved the cabbages from hitting the ground, but then Aang launched himself between the cart's canopy and the cabbages, arms and legs thrust forward and emerged out the other side. As he landed, he turned and airbended the cart up the street to strike the pursuing pirates, knocking them out.

"My cabbages! This place is worse than Omashu!" The cabbages seller lamented to the sky, irate.

The children ran down another alley, but when they turned the next corner they are met by the pirate salesmen and his men. The kids run back the way they came, the freebooters hot on their trail. They turned into a blind alley where they had no choice but to face their pursuers. The pirate barker and his mates were now blocking the entrance. The Avatar airbended a huge gust of wind at the pirates, blinding them with dust and disorienting them, before rushing forward while opening his glider. He told his friends to hold on tight. Katara and Sokka ran along behind and then latched onto to Aang's legs while Chenlian grabbed the tip of the glider. The waterbender thought they were trying to run **away** from the pirates but they had no other choice. Chenlian used her firebending skills to blast hot energy to gain more speed and altitude, although it was difficult even then and had to bounce off the heads of many of the sea robbers in their escape. They eventually got airborne, however, and looked back to see the pirates and the port receeding behind them.

"I used to kinda look up to pirates, but those guys are terrible." The little monk said folding his glider once they were all back at the waterfall.

"I know, that's why I took this!" Katara smiled smugly, showing them the waterbending scroll. Aang was disbelieving and a little unhappy. The girl was elated.

"No wonder they were trying to hack us up. You stole their waterbending scroll." Sokka was quite angry.

"I prefer to think of it as '_high-risk trading_'." His sister wisely cracked with a self-satisfied smile. The airbender laughed at the good one. "Sokka, where do you think they got it? They stole it from a waterbender." Katara reasoned.

"It doesn't matter. You put all of our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes!"

"These are real waterbending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn waterbending." The waterbender retorted, now slightly angry too.

"Chenlian, please, **you** say something and knock some sense into her!" Sokka exclaimed, half angry half desperate. Katara looked at her in a 'you-agree-with-me-right' half pleading half threatening sort of way.

"Hummmm... I dislike stealing, and I agree that it was dangerous and should not become a habit, especially from this sort of people... but she seized the opportunity she had and it is indeed crucial for both she and Aang to become stronger, and the earlier they start, the better it is, and I would have certainly done the very same in her place." The firebender concluded with a sweet smile. Katara smirked victoriously. Sokka gave up and left. "However, we should be more careful from now on, and we should be prepared, because when you do something bad, it always comes back to haunt you one way or another."

"Well, what's done is done. We have it. We might as well learn from it." Aang finished pragmatically.

"I've checked all the shops on this pier. Not a lotus tile in the entire marketplace." Iroh complained, his beloved nephew beside him looking as sour and unhappy as ever, glaring ahead, his arms folded across his chest. They were at the very same pier Aang and his friends had left just some time ago.

"It's good to know this trip was a complete waste of time for everyone!" Zuko shouted, cynical and furious.

"Quite the contrary." His uncle replied, as calmly as always. "I always say the only thing better than finding something you were looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!" He finished, obviously very pleased with himself as a parade of Fire Nation soldiers walk by, carrying armloads of merchandise that the retired general had just bought. One of them was a certain brass sort of instrument...

"You bought a tsungi horn?"

"For music night on the ship. Now, if we only had some woodwinds... And Chenlian to play the pipa..."

"Well, she's not here, okay?!" The prince shot back, clearly unwilling to talk about that matter and trying to push back that image he had from that time at the Fire Temple that kept haunting him ever since. Then they stumbled about the same pirate ship the four did earlier. The old man was happy since it looked promising. They stopped before the same stone monkey decorated with the red jewels that Katara had eyed earlier.

"Oooh! That is handsome! Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?" Iroh hungrily reached out for the object. At the desk, the captain was speaking with the barker. The latter was saying they had lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with.

"This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?" Zuko, who had listened to their conversation, walked over to them. Meanwhile, behind him, his uncle had picked the monkey up and was holding it, wearing the exact same grin as the statue he was obviously imitating... although it looked much funnier on him than on the said statue...

"I just want to try this one move first and then it's all yours." Katara then told Aang to hold open the scroll for her. She leant backward and attempted the single water whip as prescribed in the document. She looked and sounded quite confident. The waterbender raised a stream of water and whipped it around, but it hit her in the forehead, leaving a bruise. Sokka, sitting on a rock, laughed. His annoyed sister asked him what was so funny.

"I'm sorry, but you deserve that." Then the young man turned to Aang. "You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself." He continued with the knowing and superior tone of someone who sat, observed, and learned. The brown haired girl retorted defensively – and slightly guiltily – that Aang would get his turn once she had figured out the water whip. She tried again, but the whip behaved erratically and unintentionally lashed Momo, who screamed and hissed at her in protest.

"Why can't I get this stupid move!" Katara cursed herself.

"You'll get it." Aang said reassuringly and confidently, walking up to the river. The blue eyed bender looked displeased at this statement, undoubtedly expecting Aang to show her up once again... Aang who indeed managed to do a perfect water whip on his first try... "You just gotta shift your weight through the stances." He gracefully manipulated the whip for a few seconds before dropping it back into the river. "There. See, the key to bending is-" The Avatar explained gently.

"Will you PLEASE shut your air hole!" Katara snapped, furious and bitter beyond words at herself for her own powerlessness that she felt only too keenly due to Chenlian's earlier remarks and prowesses... and now it was Aang! "Believe it or not, your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes. Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted!" She lashed out, too jealous to control herself.

"Katara!" The firebender yelled warningly.

"What?!" Katara snarled back, looking at her brother and female friend who were silently gazing at her reprovingly before averting their eyes and nodding toward Aang. She looked back at him and, abashed, saw how frightened and close to tears he was. Unlike Chenlian, he was prone to showing his feelings on his face. And that had really hurt him. "Oh my gosh, Aang, I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." She apologised, gently and sincerely. "But, you know what, it won't happen again." She rolled up the scroll and handed it to Aang. "Here, this is yours. I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore."

"It's okay, Katara." The boy reassured him.

"What about Momo? He's the real victim here." Sokka, still sitting on his rock, showed Momo who was rubbing his sore behind where the whip had struck him.

"I'm sorry Momo." She apologised again, petting the animal's long ears.

"And what about me? There was that time you-" The male warrior added (all too) clearly trying to exploit the situation. It would no longer work, however, as his sister made it just as clear that there would be no more apologies, scaring both Momo and Sokka with her anger.

The prow of Zuko's ship opened and a smaller craft was deployed. The sun had almost set. It was moving up the river in parallel with the pirate ship, and on its deck, the banished prince and the pirate captain were in deep conversation. The captain wanted to stop to search the woods.

"We don't need to stop. They stole a waterbending scroll, right?" Zuko asked. The captain nodded. "Then they'll be on the water."

The moon was shining in the sky, and the campfire was still burning in their midst. The boys were asleep, but not Katara. She got up and silently removed the scroll from Aang's bag. She guiltily backed away from the camp, turning around only to be confronted by Momo's luminescent green eyes. Sitting on a tree stump, he chattered at her. In a whisper, she told him to go back to sleep. She walked by and he chittered again, but she shushed him once more. And Momo sadly watched her leave, his ears flat on his back, but as soon as she had disappeared, another girl came up at his side, watching with crossed arms the direction the waterbender had gone. With her left hand, Chenlian affectionately petted Momo's head and ears. She was glad that Katara wanted to get stronger faster... but it was another thing to become so completely obsessed as to forget about all the dangers and going alone like this. It was certainly no use trying to dissuade her at this point, but she could follow and help her if such a danger came.

Katara was struggling with her water whip and cursing, unaware of both friendly and enemy presence, as indeed Zuko and the pirate captain had also heard her cries. They looked at each other. The waterbender was still wielding a stream of water and trying to follow Aang's advice concerning the shifting of her weight until she heard the noise of grinding metal. She ran over to a row of bushes on her left and parted them to reveal Zuko's craft now beached on the river bank. She turned to run, but was grabbed by a pirate. The girl managed to get rid of him by bending a water whip around and smacking the pirate in the face. He let her go, but she ran right into Zuko who tightly gripped her wrists.

"I'll save you from the pirates." The prince said with a scowl on his face.

"And I'll save her from you." A female voice surprised him from behind.


	12. Divide and conquer

**Fight****12: Divide and conquer**

Katara was struggling with her water whip and cursing, unaware of both friendly and enemy presence, as indeed Zuko and the pirate captain had also heard her cries. They looked at each other. The waterbender was still wielding a stream of water and trying to follow Aang's advice concerning the shifting of her weight until she heard the noise of grinding metal. She ran over to a row of bushes on her left and parted them to reveal Zuko's craft now beached on the river bank. She turned to run, but was grabbed by a pirate. The girl managed to get rid of him by bending a water whip around and smacking the pirate in the face. He let her go, but she ran right into Zuko who tightly gripped her wrists.

"I'll save you from the pirates." The prince said with a scowl on his face.

"And I'll save her from you." A female voice surprised him from behind. She first punched right above the elbow, loosening his grip with the electrical shock that ensued, she then twisted and locked his arm and with a swordhand, chopped at his wrist, striking yet another nerve, and forcing him to let go of Katara. Having workedfor doctors specialising in different kinds of medicine, she had learned the human body's weak points. And she had found ways to use that knowledge to her advantage. She yelled at her friend to run away and quickly go back while she held them back. The waterbender hesitated for a second, torn between her desire to help and her own safety before deciding to trust her firebender friend and obey. Since she knew of the opponent's resilience, Chenlian attacked with a series of sharp, strong, lightning-fast punches, jabs with half-fists, and palm blows, aiming only for the places where the armor and body were the weakest, and while he was groggy and confused, swept his legs from under him with a kick. And just as she was about to knock him out with another swordhand, she heard Katara scream. She had been captured again. Chenlian went to help but they put their sabers against the waterbender's neck. They only needed one person alive and it did not matter who, but again, hostages only had value if they were alive. Chenlian could not escape on her own, however. She had to bring Katara back no matter what. But Zuko had used these few seconds to recover and was able to grab her wrists and twist them behind her back. He held them locked in place with one hand while he warped his other arm around her neck from behind, slightly pulling back while the hand gripping her wrists was pushing forward.

And thus, both girls had been captured and tied to two different trees, Katara with ropes and Chenlian with chains, since she could too easily burn ropes. And the first thing Zuko did was lash out at the female firebender.

"Why are you here?! You should be in jail! And why did you attack me?!" He yelled, his face close to hers. Seconds passed and there was still no response. "Answer me, Chenlian!" He commanded again after a time. She had been staring at him intently. Shock, rage, denial, confusion, fear, worry, resentment, bitterness, hope, hurt, longing... and a sense of betrayal. As usual, everything showed on his face and in his tone.

"I've broken out of my cell, and now I'm travelling with the Avatar, and I will help him and his friends restore balance to the world and save the Fire Nation from itself." She answered, with strong conviction and looking right at him with her unwavering amber eyes. And all he could see was the truth, bare, simple, terrible, heartless. A truth he did not want to hear and that pierced him like a white hot knife. And that was done purposefully. She had become even better at holding people down with her eyes, and with her words. That was a stupidly honest response. Even if there had been just a slim chance, she could have lied to him and deceived him to release the waterbender later. But she would never do that, not to him. You could not take back a word like you could not take back a swordstroke. They shot from lips and pierced people's hearts, leaving inerasable scars. That was why she had never lied to him, just like she would never lie to Aang, Katara, or Sokka. But she did not stop there. "And I also wanted to see by myself how you were doing. We haven't seen each other for a long time and I must say you look horrible. Don't worry, I'm not talking about your looks, you're as handsome as always, you even look manlier... but you still look horrible." What Zuko did not understand was that she was talking about his physiognomy. For those who could read them, facial features revealed a lot about a person's character. She was talking about the emotional scars and constant anger that distorted both his physical traits and his personality. She was still looking straight at him, but with sadness and great concern and care in her eyes. The prince saw it and was all the more confused and angry.

"Stop talking nonsense! You're helping the Avatar?! Stop messing with me! Do you realize the situation you're in?! Do you want to be executed for treason?!"

"You speak as if you're assuming I'm necessarily going to die. I might have spent years in prison but I'm really being underestimated. It's true, I've chosen a dangerous path. You know I've never been one to hurry to my death, but sometimes women, just like men, must be ready to risk their lives for something greater than them. If the people I love are about to commit a grave mistake, of course I will do everything in my power to stop them." The two firebenders stared at each other for a time with neither of them willing to back down. Both had always been stubborn and dedicated and he knew that while she had always been willing to admit she was wrong when it was the case he knew of how unyielding she could be when she believed herself in the right. She would not budge no matter how much they would argue now.

"It's no use talking to you now. I'll deal with you later." Zuko averted his eyes first and waved his hand in a dismissive manner. She would not budge no matter how much they would argue now. She would not budge but...

_"If the people I love are about to commit a grave mistake, of course I will do everything in my power to stop them."_ ... He was just the same! She had already betrayed them, even though he had never wanted to believe it. Last time she had only escaped exile due to his father's clemency, if this time he brought her back after having caught her in such circumstances, she would certainly be executed... He resented her... Why did she have to say such things?! Why did she have to betray him again?! Why did she always corner him like this? Anger was disfiguring his features more than the scar on his face, and bitterness was flowing into him like poison burning his heart and making it writhe. And yet he could not deny that his heart was still burning in another way. She still cared for him as much as he still cared for her. And he did not want her to die. Could he convince her to come back to his side? And even if he did, what would happen once they were back in the Fire Nation? He didn't know. He did not know what to do or what to feel or even what he really wanted. Could he save her? Should he even try to? She was a traitor. But she was also Chenlian. He could not, did not want to let her go, that he felt strongly; though whether it was out of duty or lingering affection and attachment he did not know either or even wanted to know. If only she had lied... if only she would lie... if only there were not those feelings...! The exiled prince turned toward the waterbender.

"Tell me where he is, and I won't hurt you or your brother."

"Go jump in the river!" Katara snarled back. Her intentions could not be clearer.

"Try to understand, I need to capture to restore something I've lost. My honor."

"Well, I understand that now you seem to care more about honors than honor." Chenlian interrupted. She had not been able to help it. She hated it so much, how his whole world turned around that man, how he was so warped around his little finger, how blind he was to how his father really was... while he should be worth so much more than him...

"You have no right to judge me!" He suddenly exploded, no longer able to hold back. "What do you know about me?! What does a traitor like you know?! Nothing! You don't have any idea what happened or how I've felt all these years, so don't act like you do!"

"I know much more than you do or what you think I do. Nor do you have any idea what happened to me or what **_I_**'ve felt these past years. But I understand that it is too early to talk. You'd just dismiss everything I'd say as a lie to protect yourself, and I don't want that. So I will wait. I will wait for you, until you are ready. And I will also protect Aang and everyone." The firebender girl had spoken calmly, with a controlled voice, only rendering heavier the meaning and truth of her words, her penetrating gaze boring into his. She had wanted to remind him that he was not the only one to have suffered and her tone had implied that unlike him, her loss was definite. She would tell him one day because he wanted and had to know but she had chosen not to dwell upon it and walk forward. She looked down as a sign that she would not say another word. Zuko turned away, he had been caught in her pace again. He reported his attention back to Katara and tried to bargain.

"Perhaps in exchange I can restore something you've lost." He argued, mellowing his voice and approaching the waterbender to show her the Water Tribe necklace.

"My mother's necklace! How did you get that?" She exclaimed, shocked. The young man stepped back.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're wondering. Tell me where he is."

"No!" Her friends were much more precious than any object, even her mother's memento. But the pirate captain had enough of this 'necklace garbage'. Zuko had promised the scroll! The Prince produced the scroll and held it over the flame hovering over his other hand, tauntingly wondering outloud how much money it was worth. The pirates gasped and some cried, "No!". He smirked: the threat had worked.

"A lot, apparently. Now you help me find what I want, you'll get this back and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here." He commanded, still smiling superiorily. The pirate captain grudgingly agreed.

It was dawn. At the foot of the waterfall, Aang and Sokka were still sleeping. Sokka rolled over and woke up, noticing that both girls had disappeared. He searched Aang's bag and immediately understood. Sleepily, the airbender asked what was wrong.

"She took the scroll! She's obsessed with that thing. It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep- WAAAAAHH!" He was cut off when his hands got wrapped in a sling and he was violently pulled forward. He landed on the ground and was faced by a pirate who threw the sling back at him. The warrior rolled out of the way, picked up his spear and charged the intruder. Aang turned to see a huge beefy pirate hefting two crossbows with a net tied between them who aimed and fired. The Avatar bended an air ball at the approaching net, but the air passed right through it and the net rolled him up into a nice neat bundle and he was thrown backwards onto the ground, where another pirate began to drag him away. They instantly left Sokka alone, who stood up, his pride hurt.

"Oh, what? I'm not good enough to kidnap?" He got his response though when another net scooped him up. He screamed as they dragged him away. At the river bank, the pirates, Zuko and his men were lined up, facing each other. Katara and Chenlian were still bound to the trees, Iroh standing next to them.

"Nice work." Zuko complimented the pirates who had just brought Aang and Sokka, both tied up.

"Aang, this is all my fault." Katara apologised sincerely.

"No, Katara it isn't." The airbender reassured her.

"Yeah, it kind of is." Iroh and Chenlian both contradicted him before the female admitted: "Although it's partly mine too."

"Give me the boy." The prince ordered.

"**You** give us the scroll." The captain of the pirates demanded back.

"You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment!?" Sokka said like he could not believe his ears.

"Don't listen to him! He's trying to turn us against each other." Zuko was fully aware of what the other teen warrior – and tactician – was trying to do.

"Your friend is the Avatar?" The pirate captain looked at Aang on his other side.

"Sure is, and I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market then that fancy scroll." Sokka proceeded with his age-old strategy.

"Shut your mouth, you water tribe peasant!" The young royalty pointed angrily, resentfully noticing the success that strategy was meeting.

"Yeah, Sokka, you really should shut your mouth..." Aang agreed, tense and concerned.

"I'm just sayin', it's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Fire Lord would pay for the Avatar. You guys would be set for life!" The 'Water Tribe peasant' looked sweetly at the obviously very interested pirates, using his most tantalizing tone. The captain told the prince to keep the scroll as they could buy a hundred with the reward they were going to get for the kid. They walked away with the Avatar and his friend.

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me!" Zuko and the guards on either side of him unleashed a torrent of flame, which bathed the ground underneath the pirates who jumped out the way. The pirate salesmen threw smoke bombs are the soldiers and jumped into the midst of the smoke and firebenders with a cry. Three firebenders rushed to capture the still bound Aang and Sokka but as they got near, four pirates jumped in to defend their captives. They dropped smoke bombs too and the battlefield instantly became a foggy mess. The Fire Nation soldiers approached the edge of the smoke cloud and were instantly pulled in by the arms of pirates. Momo climbed down a tree to chew down the rope binding Katara's wrists. She thanked him, saying she owed him a bushel of apples. Chenlian also took advantage of the apparent lack of surveillance to close her eyes and concentrate. She melted the chains and cut the shackles.

Aang was running through the smoke, coughing, and still tied. He barely dodged a throwing star and a spear he used to cut his bonds. Zuko emerged out of the smoke cloud and put the waterbending scroll through his waistband on his back. He turned around just in time to avoid a sword stroke. He assumed a firebending stance, facing the Pirate Captain who was pointing a sword at him. They struggled, but no one could gain the upper hand. A sling removed the scroll from Zuko's waistband. Scroll that was intercepted by Momo, who was in turn pursued by the green parrot which tackled the lemur in mid-air, forcing him to drop the scroll that fell back down into the smoke filled battlefield, where jets of flame were erupting from various points. Sokka was crawling on the ground, the frightening sound of steel clashing against steel all around him. Out of the smoke a machete buried itself in the ground in front of him, scaring him. He used its blade to cut the rope tying his wrists. He cried Aang's name, asking if he was there. The child airbended himself up over the smoke cloud, and dropped back down.

"I'm over here, follow my voice!" He yelled at his friend.

"Where?! I can't find you!" Sokka shouted back.

"I'm right here!" The Avatar blew away the smoke from the immediate area to reveal Fire Nation soldiers and pirates in combat surrounding him and pointing at him with their weapons. They froze and looked at him. He closed the smoke back up around them. "Uhh, never mind! I'll find you!"

Sokka crawled out of the smoke and stood up. As he did, Aang jumped out of the smoke over Sokka's head. "Run!" They ran towards the pirate ship that Katara and Chenlian were trying to push off the beach. The boys were glad they were okay but the girls paid no mind: they needed help getting the boat back into the water. The four pushed with all their might but the ship did not move an inch. Sokka lamented that they would need a team of rhinos to budge it.

"A team of rhinos... or two waterbenders." Aang corrected. Katara looked at him and smiled. They pulled the river back and forth up the beach, slowly raising the water level around the prow. The ship was floating. They all climbed in.

"Are you so busy fighting you cannot see your own ship has set sail?" Iroh broke the duel between Zuko and the leader of the pirates.

"We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle!" His nephew shot back.

"It's no proverb." The retired general pointed at the pirate ship sailing downriver. The captain of the said boat cursed and his opponent laughed openly and mockingly pointing at him. That captain was quite foolish indeed. But Zuko was even more foolish as he had not realised that his own ship, loaded with pirates grinning, laughing, waving at him, one of whom even moving to moon him and his uncle, was following it.

"Hey! That's my boat!" The foolish prince chased after his boat.

"Maybe it should be a proverb." Iroh wondered, scratching his chin, before his nephew urged him on.

Aang had remarked the pirates closing in and asked Sokka, who was standing at the wheel, if he could make their ship go any faster. The boy did not know, however, as it had not been made by the Water Tribe. Soon, the first pirates boarded back their ship. Two of them were advancing on Katara who was on the aft deck. As she was fearfully backing up, Aang, from the top of the cabin, waterbended a huge wave onto the deck, washing one of the pirates overboard. Katara gained confidence and determination and created a water whip and smacked the other one overboard. The boy congratulated her and she modestly replied that she couldn't have done it without his help.

"Will you two quit congratulating each other and help me out!" Sokka interrupted them, his legs around the salesman's neck after having obviously jumped on him from behind while another pirate had his beefy arms wrapped around his torso, trying to squeeze the life out of him. On the deck, Chenlian was busy blasting other sea rovers overboard with her firebending. Momo flew over their heads, closely pursued by the Captain's iguana parrot. After a few acrobatics, the lemur trapped the reptile bird by wrapping it in the vessel's black flag. Sokka screamed as the brawny pirate managed to pry him off his comrade and threw him into the sail in front of him. Chenlian cried his name but did not have the time to save him before he crashed on the deck. At the same time, Aang dropped onto the bridge and airbended the barker over the guard rail before twirling the other one on a small whirlwind and ejecting him high into the air. A splash is heard as the pirate fell in the river. The airbender joined his friends on the deck when Katara called him and Chenlian and pointed at the rapidly approaching waterfall. There was more urgent however as the female firebender warned the Avatar of the pirate barker who was standing behind him, blade drawn. Aang turned to face him and drew his bison whistle in response. He blew the whistle furiously to no seeming effect. The sea rover blankly stared at him, unimpressed, for a few seconds before being promptly round-kicked overboard by Sokka who immediately started yelling at his friend.

"Have you lost your mind!? This is no time for flute practice!" He was tapping his temple with his index to punctuate his thoughts. Well, Chenlian would not have said that much but she had been schocked enough by this apparently thoughtless behavior. There was really no time however, as the prow of their boat was almost at the lip of the fall.

"We can stop the boat! Aang, together, push and pull the water!" Katara yelled. And standing back to back on the foredeck, she and Aang waterbended in unison, making pushing and pulling motions. It was working! The boat was slowing down! They bended the water around the ship which was now at a 90 degree angle to the lip of the fall and motionless. Chenlian was bitting her lower lip and clenching her fists. Had it been a small wooden raft she could have used her firebending to release strong jets and help them push. But if she tried something like that with a ship of this size and weight, she'd die before she could even make it burst. There was nothing she could do, but to trust and leave it to the two waterbenders. She might be able to help once they had gained a little more momentum but it seemed like they would not even have the time... They had another problem that was much more urgent as both she and Sokka had noticed: Zuko's iron-hulled cutter was bearing down on their ship and rammed in the middle of the wooden the pirate boat. The ominous sound of the planks cracking and being reduced to splinters was covered by the four teens' screams. The force of the impact lifted the side of the red-sails junk of the pirates, tilting it so much that it was ready to capsize. The four youths had no choice but to jump down the waterfall holding each other's hands. With Aang and Katara on one side and Sokka on the other, Chenlian was the only one to have a seemingly upright position. Jets of fire were bursting of her feet, slowing their fall and deporting them forward to avoid being smashed by the combined weight of the two ships that would necessarily come crashing down on them. It was then she saw Appa swooping toward and under them. She cut the streams of fire and they landed on his back, leaving just in time to avoid the falling pirate raft. The ship shattered when it hit the bottom in a cloud of water and debris. On Appa, Aang proudly presented his bison whistle. Momo landed on Sokka's shoulder.

"I knew a bison whistle would come in handy. Thanks, Appa." The Avatar expressed his gratitude to his long time furry friend.

"Yeah, we owe ya one." The Water Tribe warrior agreed. The flying bison grunted in affirmative, good-naturedly.

Zuko ran up the river bank and stopped at the edge of the waterfall, looming over the cliff. Iroh joined him, huffing and puffing behind him, certainly because of the difference in weight and exercise...

"My boat!" The prince bellowed in frustration, much like a kid whose candy had been stolen from him because of his carelessness.

"Hehe, Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this." The retired general chuckled, regaining his breath. "The missing lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" He produced the missing lotus tile with a huge smile on his face. Zuko's effortful and yet short-lived attempt to control his own breathing and temper failed as, as fast as lightning, he snatched the tile from his uncle's hand and in sheer frustration, threw it as far as he could where it bounced on the pirate barker's head, barker who was floating downstream, along with his comrades. Once more he had been so close, he thought he had them again, everything that he had always wanted. For a moment, he had them in his grasp, but when he had reached out and brushed them, they eluded him and escaped his hold again.

"Aang, I still owe you an apology." Katara said, kneeling on Appa's saddle, sincerely regretful. The bison had just risen above the white sea of clouds. "You were just so good at waterbending without really trying. I got so competitive that I put us all in danger. I'm sorry."

"That's okay, Katara." The airbender reassured her.

"Besides, who needs that stupid scroll anyway." She acted proud and strong, unattached to such wordly possession.

"Is that really how you feel?" Her beloved brother asked teasingly and producing the waterbending scroll he had managed to snatch during the chaos.

"The scroll!" Katara exclaimed, ecstatic. She reached for it, but Sokka pulled it away and stopped his sister with his other hand.

"First, what did you learn?" He questioned her, his eyes closed, acting as the older parent (for once) that he in deed was.

"Stealing is wrong." Katara answered. Sokka opened his eyes and smiled, handing the reward to his baby sibling who quickly took the scroll before he changed his mind. "Unless it's from pirates!" She corrected herself, smugly.

"Haha! Good one, Katara." Aang complimented her. They all laughed heartily before Chenlian looked away, a strange expression on a charming face. She was no longer laughing. Somewhere deep in her eyes, looking at the far distance, were that longing, that affection, rooting back in the far past and that would toughen and grow stronger no matter how harsh the weather; and in her chest, a sadness that was not directed at herself and a dull pain throbing with each beat of her heart.


	13. Misleading leaders

**Fight****13: Misleading leaders**

A bright autumn day, and under the pale blue sky, the trees were clothed in their warm, vivid colors of fiery red and oranges and dark greens. A little green beetle was peacefully scuttling on a branch, when suddenly a large animal swooped from above. It was Momo, who, upon discovering that the insect was not in his paws, leapt after it. The beetle flew up and down the tree with the brave and persistant and gluttonous lemur right behind it. It landed on the dirt ground at the base of the tree. Momo pounced but failed again as the beetle flew off before he could catch it. He watched it before his attention was diverted by a pile of lumpy red nuts sitting just there on a pile of red leaves at his left, just waiting to be eaten, and his ears perked right up. He pounced on it when suddenly copper-colored slats snapped up from the leaves and surrounded him in a globe and sprang into the air where it remained hanging. Near him were two other similar snares occupied by one large and noisy brown baboon-like animal.

While somewhere in the forest, Aang, Katara, Sokka, Chenlian and Appa were taking a rest from their travel. The Avatar asked where Momo was, and as if on cue, the lemur's yeowl echoed through the forest. They soon found the missing pet. Aang airbended himself to the branch above the snares and released the latch on the small winch attached to the trunk, grabbed the rope, and dangling like an acrobat on a trapeze, slowly lowered the trap to the ground. The Water Tribe siblings pulled the squeaky slats apart freeing Momo who immediately hopped out and ran to finish his hard-earned nuts at a safer distance. Sokka groaned and slapped his forehead at the lack of gratitude. Aang jumped down from above and looked up at the other two snares. The Hog Monkeys in them moaned pleadingly. The Avatar airbended himself to their branch to free them too but before he got to the rope, Sokka threw his boomerang, which cut the ropes before whizzing back to its master. The siblings caught the traps. Aang was still hanging below the branch and did not seem upset at all to have gone up there for nothing. On the ground, the hog monkeys now free again, disappeared in the forest. Sokka examined a trap as Aang skidded down the trunk and root of a tree. He could tell those were Fire Nation traps from the metalwork. They had better pack up camp, and get moving. The four went back and rolled up their gear but when Katara handed her luggage to Aang, who was sitting on Appa's head, she was stopped by her brother. There would be no flying this time.

"Why wouldn't we fly?" The airbender asked, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Think about it." The Water Tribe warrior replied, trying to convince them. "Somehow Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa. He's just too noticeable."

"What! Appa's not too noticeable!" The waterbender girl retorted.

"He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head. It's kinda hard to miss him!" Sokka crudely – but objectively – made his point. Appa turned his head and grunted at him in response.

"Sokka's just jealous 'cause he doesn't have an arrow." Aang gently reassured his gigantic fluffy friend while holding the reins.

"I know you all want to fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk. And I'm sure Chenlian agrees with me." The instinctive warrior looked at her for support as she was usually known as the voice of reason and arbiter of conflicts (when Aang took a side). They all turned to the mahogany-haired girl.

"It is true that Appa's too noticeable and that is certainly why Zuko keeps finding us. Nonetheless, I would still choose to fly because that's the fastest way and we can see any enemy attack from afar too. We're the only ones who can fly. If we walk there's a huge risk we'll run into a Fire Nation patrol unless a scout is sent ahead. And as it is safer to watch from high up in the trees, the only ones who can pull it off are Aang and myself. Well, it all depends on whether you trust Aang not to make any slip up and whether you trust me not to reveal your location and try to get back on the Fire Lord's good side while waiting for a chance to end him..." Chenlian exposed the facts, the risks, and the advantages and conducted a hard and logical reasoning as was her wont in most situations but she had also tested them.

"... We're all sticking together. And if we meet a Fire Nation patrol we all fight and escape together."

_So they don't trust me... huh?_

"But don't get me wrong, it's because you're a friend we trust that I won't let you go on your own. You're also being targeted, right? This way, we can better protect each other's back – and don't give me your usual highhanded nonsense because we DID beat you!" Sokka finished before a single sound could leave the girl's parted lips. She could not win. She could easily beat them flat in 'real' fights, but they possessed a type of strength she had lost, if she had ever had it to begin with. 'Together', ' a friend we trust', 'protect each other's back', for someone like her who had been alone for so long, such words were like the key to her locked heart, and she was weak to them. She who had won most of her verbal and physical fights, she who hated losing for some reason wanted to smile despite having lost an argument. Maybe because their smiles were so warm and sincere. They really had her heart and soul in the palm of their hands. She had lost all will to fight. Well, she WOULD protect them one way or another... "See? But don't worry, you'd make a really good aide." Sokka patted her head like a master his disciple, his smile smug and yet awkward, just like his pose that perspired a suddenly inflated sense of self-importance. "Now that it's settled, let's go!"

"Hey, hey, who made you the boss? Just because Chenlian agreed..." Katara had not given up yet.

"Hey, I might have agreed about staying together but that didn't mean I agreed about walking!" The fire user countered.

"I'm not the boss I'm the leader." Her brother replied, his voice high pitched, as if fearing how truly terrible his baby sis could be.

"You're the leader? But your voice still cracks!" The waterbender laughed, incredulous.

"I'm the oldest and I'm a warrior. So I'm the leader!" The older boy tried to deepen his voice to make himself seem more adult and important.

"If anyone's the leader, it's Aang. I mean, he is the Avatar." Katara argued like she was stating the obvious.

"Are you kidding? He's just a goofy kid!" He showed Aang who was dangling from Appa's horn, upside-down by his hands with his legs sticking out into space.

"He's right." The Avatar agreed with a goofy smile from his goofy position. And Chenlian also agreed with that.

"Why do boys always think someone has to be the leader? I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you kissed a girl." Katara added, her arms crossed.

"I-I've kissed a girl, you just haven't met her." Sokka lied (evidently).

"Who? Gran-gran? I've met Gran-gran." The sister shot with a smug and sarcastic smile.

"No, besides Gran-gran. Look, my instincts tell me we have a better chance of slipping through on foot and a leader has to trust his instincts."

"Okay, we'll try it your way Oh Wise Leader." Katara finally gave in. Aang stepped over, now wearing a backpack. Momo was sitting on the top. Chenlian was at their side too. She had been watching the exchange with a smile. She had always been an only child. But she had never been spoilt. Quite the contrary in fact. Because she was the only one who was to inherit their wills and position. She had seen many blood related siblings but these were something else. Watching them she'd sometimes catch herself wishing the relationship between two others she knew was different, more like Sokka and Katara... even though it was certainly impossible...

"Who knows walking might be fun." Aang went with the flow.

"Walking stinks! How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?" Aang complained after a time as the group was trudging along between the giant trees.

"I don't know Aang. Why don't you ask Sokka's instinct?" Katara suggested. "They seem to know everything."

"Ha ha. Very funny." Sokka's instinct commented dryly.

"I'm tired of carrying this pack." The Avatar whined again.

"Now, now, that is also a way to train stamina and patience." Chenlian chided, but her amused smile robbed her statement of all convincing power.

"You know who you should ask to carry it for a while? Sokka's instinct!" The waterbender added.

"That's a great idea!" The airbender agreed, ecstatic. "Hey, Sokka's instinct, would you mind-"

"Okay, okay I get it. Look guys, I'm tired too. But the important thing is that—" He pushed the branches from two rust red-leafed bushes and held them, focusing his attention on his comrades "-we're safe from the-" He finally turned around to see what was beyond the bushes. "-Fire...Nation." The group had walked right into a Fire Nation camp installed in a clearing. On the opposite end were three pavilion tents, and an active fire pit with logs as benches on two sides. The soldiers - most of them seated or crouching near the fire – still had their bowls in hand. Everyone stared, surprised, until Sokka yelled to run. As the teens dropped their packs, the soldiers leapt up from the logs, swords out. One cut their retreat by setting the bushes ablaze with a jet of fire, but also Sokka's left sleeve. When Aang made him notice, he screamed in panic, and Katara bended a ribbon of water to put it out before redirecting it back into her waterskin. The foursome was surrounded: the burning bushes behind them, the soldiers all around. They quickly and instinctively stood back to back, except Chenlian who had quickly stepped to the front of the group. Frowning, she was in a firebending stance. And together, they faced the Fire Nation warriors, ready to fight.

"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you." Sokka declared, though not quite as confident as he meant to appear.

"What are you doing?" His sister whispered in in quiet contained voice.

"Bluffing?" Her older sibling suggested.

"**YOU** promise not to hurt **US**?" The one-eyed Captain smiled. Those kids had to be joking. There was a muted 'zip' sound and suddenly the captain collapsed in a thud. His men lowered their weapons a little, surprised.

"Nice work, Sokka! How'd ya do that?" Aang complimented his friend.

"Uh... instinct?" The Water Tribe warrior suggested.

"Look!" Katara exclaimed, pointing at the lowest – and still quite high – branches of the giant trees. A figure was standing there on the massive branch of a nearby tree. The person drew two blades from the middle of his back, jumped back behind the branch, and using the hook of his weapons to catch the branch, slung himself in the direction of the camp. The stranger kicked over two of the soldiers farthest from the Avatar and his friends and landed on them, a foot on each of their backs. He rushed forward, his twin tiger hook sword in each hand. He hooked a leg each on another pair of soldiers and sent them head over heels and with a polished body flip, launched them through the air. They ended up in a heap on top of their prone captain. The skilled and unknown swordsman landed on his feet, smirking and ready for more.

"Down you go." The young man said with confidence and arrogance. He seemed to be about Sokka's age. Except for a burnt sienna vest with dark red trimming, he was dressed from neck to toe in dark blue, almost black clothing. What little armor he had – shoulder caps, forearm protectors and hip and upper thigh covers – were mismatched. His hair was a shaggy brown mane, his eyes of the same brown as his hair and he had a blade of wheat grass in his teeth. Despite a certain conceit and vanity screamed by his whole body language, he exuded a sort of roguish charm, a magnetic aura which made it difficult for people to genuinely dislike him, especially when you've just been saved by him. The four looked up from the little pile-up at him, showing surprise coupled with varying degrees of pleasure (Katara) awe (Aang) incredulity (Sokka) and excitation (Chenlian). He was obviously a swordsman of rare skill and such a display had set the female firebender's soul and blood as a fellow swordsmaster ablaze. Matters of personalities aside, she did not want to lose to him!

A soldier rushed up from behind their savior, sword raised. But just before the renegade could hook his opponent's sword hand, the soldier's weapon was knocked over by a dragon straight sword before a roundhouse kick sent the enemy flying. Chenlian and the young man smirked at each other.

"They're in the trees!" A soldier cried out, noticing at last. A small boy dropped from above on another soldier's shoulders, and spun his helmet around, blinding him. He staggered off, his little attacker laughing all the while. Arrows quickly disarmed a few other enemies without hurting them. The archer sitting on a branch reached for his quiver on his back and fit two arrows to the string of his bow. He swung backward until hanging beneath the branch by his knees and let his arrows fly, disarming other enemies who ran off. An individual leapt from a low branch to the ground and is immediately charged at. The fighter ducked and tossed his opponent up onto the branch with a shrug before grabbing another more cautious one, spinning him around and throwing him too. A new youth with a knife and red facepaint also joined the fight. Their leader was watching over his shoulder as Katara and Aang took their foes down with their bending while all he could see of the other girl was her red hair and red tassels and golden blade flowing and flashing. Untouchable, invulnerable, using her weapon like an extension of her own body and her own body like a deadly weapon itself, she nonetheless moved with grace and fierceness like a hypnotically dancing flame. And all her blows were for disarming or impairing, and even then, not permanently so. It was obvious she was holding back. And yet the most striking thing about her was her smile and her eyes, unbelievably clear, strong, confident, indomitable... they made the weakest cower and the strongest waver... the firebenders were shrinking before the fire of her scorching eyes... and yet, when she'd look back at him, they'd be challenging, but again in a pleasantly piquant sort of way, adding to her already piquant face.

Sokka, boomerang raised in both hands, shouted a war cry. A soldier charged him, but before they met, the young rebel leader used his swords to pole vault himself into the chest of the Fire Nation man, who went flying in the opposite direction. Sokka stopped shouting and sagged out of his battle stance.

"Hey, he was mine!"

"Gotta be quicker next time." The tiger hook swords user retorted, still smirking, before rejoining the battle. Katara was left impressed while a grumpy Sokka walked off.

A massive rebel dropped to the ground, cutting off two soldiers' escape. They turned to face him, shocked at just how towering he was. They recovered and prepared to fight. The grinning giant simply reached over his shoulder and pulled out a log thicker than a man's leg he raised two-handedly over his head before striking. They fled a few seconds later, their swords bent beyond use. His leader faced a determined spearman who jabbed for his throat, but he caught the spearshaft with the hooks of his swords. They struggled for a moment, before Chenlian cut the spear and, spinning, wrenched it out of the enemy's grasp and in a flowing motion, the staff was caught by her newly found ally and thrown at the head of a nearby swordsman, knocking him out, while she finished (without killing) the weaponless soldier with a strike at his own throat with the pommel of her sword. The Fire Nation footman who had been hit by the headless spear collapsed, revealing Sokka ready to receive the attack with his war club. He looked at the downed man.

"Man!" He cried out, frustrated.

"**You both **gotta be quicker next time." Chenlian smirked at Sokka and her fellow swordsmaster who smirked back good-naturedly, conceding the point. Another spearman attempted to strike at the head renegade from behind who caught the spearpoint just in time in the space between the grip and the crescent-shaped guard of his swords and redirected it away from his head. Both recovered with a flourish. The youth caught the speartip with his hooks this time and angled the spear into the ground. He ran up it, leaps, kicked off the back of the soldier's helmet and stumbled a few steps forward before stopping in front of Katara – who had been standing there, gaping at him - as if he had meant to do all of it.

"Hey." He greeted nonchalantly.

"Hi." Katara greeted back, a little flustered at the sudden closeness. Together they turned to take in the camp, now deserted by all but the newcomers.

"You two just took out a whole army almost single-handed! I've never seen such combination play!" Aang voiced his amazement at him and Chenlian.

"Army? Pfft. There were only, like, twenty guys! And Chenlian did all the work!" A certain ponytailed warrior from the Southern Water Tribe vented his frustration at having all his preys stolen by that new guy.

"My name is Jet," The new guy introduced himself. "And these are my Freedom Fighters. Sneers," The weaponless rebel, currently eating from one of the soldier's bowls, "Longshot," The archer, "Smellerbee," The knife user with facepaint, who had a blade in each hand and between the teeth, and another strapped to their back, "-The Duke and Pipsqueak." They were standing next to each other, a tiny guy with a helmet too big for his head, and a large one with a log across his back.

"Pipsqueak... that's a funny name." Aang told the little one, chuckling. The small guy sniffled, his nose runny.

"You think my name is funny?" The real Pipsqueak – who was surprisingly the huge guy – bent down, slightly glowering.

"It's hilarious." The Avatar plastered a smile on his face, a little nervous. Pipsqueak suddenly burst out laughing, soon followed by Aang and the Duke. The bear affectionately slapped Aang on the back, unintentionally knocking him flat. He did not notice and did not stop laughing, unlike the Duke who stopped for a second, worried, but smiled again when Aang looked up and started laughing once more.

In the Fire Nation camp, the central fire had been put out - along with the bushes fire that had cut off the team Avatar's retreat – and now the freedom fighters were busy checking weapons (Longshot) or investigating supply crates (Sneers). Sokka watched, his arms crossed as Smellerbee passed him with an armful of staves. Jet was leaning against the trunk of a tree on the perimeter of the camp when Katara approached him and thanked him for saving them. They were lucky he had been there.

"I should be thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning we just needed the right distraction. And then you guys stumbled in."

"We were relying on instincts." The waterbender explained, shooting a back (significant) look at her brother.

"You'll get yourself killed doing that." Jet gave his opinion. Sokka, who had heard everything, closed his eyes in frustration and walked away.

"Well, I dislike being used as bait but I guess this time was worthwhile." Chenlian voiced her opinion with a smile, looking as sweet as honey. She was also glad to have found a swordsman who could keep up with her. Jet smiled back at her, his smile full of smug roguish charm, yet more tender. He quite shared her sentiment, although in a slightly different way. It had really been worthwhile... Pipsqueak and the Duke reported that they had found barrels of blasting jelly (which Jet called "a great score") and boxes of jelly candy (which were also good, although they better not get those mixed up). The loot was loaded up a four-wheeled wagon that they were going to bring back to the hideout. At this, Aang perked up.

"You guys have a hideout?" He exclaimed, elated. Jet asked if they wanted to see it.  
Katara literally slid up to him, her hands clasped together, practically begging.

"Yes we wanna see it!" She answered a little too fast, too firmly, and too excitedly. His brow softened, but his self-assured smile never wavered.

Some time later, everyone was walking along the forest floor. Pipsqueak was pulling the laden wagon next to Appa. The trunks were massive enough to dwarf even the flying bison. In front, Jet stopped. They were here. Sokka asked where; there was nothing here! The head of the Freedom Fighters handed him a rope with a loop on the end and told him to hold it. The other end was somewhere above them, invisible. The ponytailed warrior obeyed and suddenly the loop wraped and tightened around his wrist and without warning, he was pulled up by his arm into a nearby tree canopy where he disappeared too. Jet offered a similar rope to Aang and Momo who refused. Momo launched himself from Aang's shoulder and the boy followed with an airbender leap. The young man put his foot in a loop and offers his free hands to Katara and Chenlian on either side of him, telling them to grab hold of him. The waterbender took his hand without thinking but the firebender turned him down. She had already caught a rope. Jet, however, would not let her and grabbed her free hand. He made both girls twirl and held them fast against him, prisoners of his arms while his hands were holding the rope. Katara blushed noticeably while Chenlian merely looked at him wide eyed and impressed by his nerve and brazenness. She did not remember having allowed such familiarity. The rope slowly pulled them into the air, the embrace the girls' only means of support... Katara smiled nervously then looked around and up at Jet. What was this handsome heroic rogue act?!

"You know I could have gone up by myself, right?"

"Of course you could. But I couldn't let you do that. This is manners." He boldly justified himself before Chenlian's demanding eyes, without a hint of guilt. Quite the contrary in fact.

"Manners... you're really awfully bold and full of yourself, aren't you?" This was more an observation, than a question. There was no accusation or anything. She had merely stated what she had remarked, gazing at him as if trying to pierce any mask he could have put on and see the real him, without any mark of judgement or assumption. She was a person who always went beyond what she would see, hear, or feel, a person who could rationalize and put a distance with practically everything – although it had not been without trouble...-. The total opposite of Katara, who was already completely bewitched by his appearance, and would drink his words and crave his attention like a starving man who had discovered an oasis after journeying for days in the desert without any supplies... not even pausing to wonder if it was really safe... Besides, Chenlian could not be taken by him. She was more down to earth, of course, but also she already had someone there, in the back of her mind, in a corner of her heart, always...

They landed on a plank-covered platform high in the canopy after having risen through a hole in the 'floor' and let go of the still ascending rope. Wooden stairs spiral up the trunk and suspension bridged linked their platform to dozen others above and below. Many had tents stretched out on them. All workmanship was of treehouse' quality. Aang and Momo slid down a rope.

"Nice place you got!" He cried, obviously enjoying himself and having fun. Katara commented about how beautiful it was up there. Chenlian agreed and added that the Fire Nation would certainly have trouble finding them here.

"They would love to find you. Wouldn't they, Jet?" Smellerbee, who had landed behind them, assented.

"It's not gonna happen, Smellerbee." Jet smirked. While Momo and the Avatar were still having fun, the others walked on a suspension bridge. The waterbender asked why the Fire Nation wanted to find him. To what the leader of the resistance fighters replied that he had been causing them a little trouble so they took over a nearby Earth Kingdom town a few years back. Pipsqueak informed them that they have been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines, and doing anything they could to mess with them.

"One day, we'll drive the Fire Nation out of here for good and free that town." The tiger hook swords user declared with conviction.

"That's so brave." Katara praised him like a Lady praising her Knight. Chenlian also agreed to that but silently wondered about the actual scale of their 'messing around'. She was glad something was being done but doubted that the incidence they had on the war was as great as they wished it – or made it out – to be. The Earth Kingdom was really huge.

"Yeah, nothing's braver than a guy in a treehouse." Sokka commented sarcastically and came up from behind after having somehow made it past Pipsqueak. The brown-haired girl told Jet not to pay any attention to her brother, what he did good-naturedly. Actually, they were all living here. Longshot's town got burned down by the fire Nation. And they had found the Duke trying to steal their food. They didn't think he ever really had a home.

"What about you?" The waterbender then asked. Jet stopped. The group, except for Katara moved on.

"Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever." He hung his head.

"Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation." Katara also looked down sadly.

"I'm so sorry, Katara."

"Chenlian too lost her parents to the Fire Nation."

"She did?" Jet gazed wonderingly at her back, straight, tall, and proud as she marched on with calm grace and confidence, without a back look, only her rich and warm mahogany hair swaying in the autumn wind. For an instant, he thought he saw an invisible scar. They were similar... so similar...

A cloud of cawing birds fled in the darknening skies as Appa raised his head through the dense leafy branches with a grumble. In the hideout below, glowing lanterns hang between branches. Sentries were keeping watch on several upper platforms while the group sat at a banquet table, eating and drinking. Jet stood and climbed onto the table.

"Today, we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine." His followers cheered. Katara and Aang watched with smiles, Sokka looked grumpy, and Chenlian neutral and impassive. "I got a special joy from the look on one soldier's face, when the Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog monkey." The helmet-less Duke joined his leader on the table and amid cheers took a victory walk. "Now, the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees. Maybe they're right." His followers booed at that. "Or maybe they're **_dead wrong_**." He spat venomously, his face angry, forbidding, and hard like pretrified wood. His underlings cheered wildly. Jet left the table and sat on the platform between the Water Tribe siblings. Katara complimented him on his speech. He thanked her and returned the favor by praising her and Aang's bending as well as Chenlian's swordsmanship.

"Well, he's great. He's the Avatar. I could use some more training." The waterbender looked down, blushing.

"Avatar huh? Very nice." Jet replied, obviously interested.

"Thanks Jet."

"You also know how to handle your blades..." Chenlian smirked back at him.

"So I might know a way that you and Aang can help in our struggle."

"Unfortunately we have to leave tonight." Sokka stood up and walked away.

"Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed you on an important mission tomorrow." Jet goaded.

"What mission?" The ponytailed warrior stopped and turned. The young leader of the Freedom Fighters seemed to be particularly good at inciting people. He also invited Chenlian but she turned him down, preferring to stay with Aang. Then Katara praised Jet again for his actions against the Fire Nation, but as a model of temperance and good will, and because of her own feelings for him, wanted him to know that there was a cause of hope even for that hated country. There were also good firebenders who were willing to help them at the risk of their lives like that priest in the Fire Temple, and like Chenlian.

"Wait!" He interrupted her. "Chenlian...?! ... A **_firebender_**?!" There was so much disgust in his expression, his tone, so much abhorrence emanated from his whole body that Katara recoiled and tried to defend her friend but he wouldn't listen and kept staring, glaring at Chenlian, waiting for her to tell the truth, to speak for herself. And he was waiting and hoping for her to deny that she really was a firebender. Chenlian looked at Katara, at Jet, Aang, Sokka, and all of the Freedom Fighters, closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. When she opened them again, there was a strong and firm resolution.

* * *

**Author's note: I wanted to give my thanks to Gadget boy for the reviews and also to Arianna Le Fay, Lucky Girl 81, awsmpup, and Aku Tora for putting this fanfiction among their story favorites or alert list. Looks like this story has exceedingly few fans, but I hope I can count on you from now on.**


	14. Soaring Dragon - Crouching Tigers

**Fight 14: Soaring Dragon – Crouching Tigers**

Chenlian looked at Katara, at Jet, Aang, Sokka, and all of the Freedom Fighters, closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. When she opened them again, there was a strong and firm resolution.

"As a matter of fact, I am." She answered simply, once more producing a flame above her outstretched palm. She made it vanish and chaos erupted with her at the center. She became the target of vociferated insults, threats, of their hatred and resentment, their frustration, their abhorrence. Aang, Katara and Sokka tried to defend her. She remained there, impervious to everything. Jet's expression changed again. The kind of loathing that now distorted his features was tinted with a strong sense of betrayal that was never there before. He then tried to convince Aang Sokka and Katara that she could not be trusted. At one point or another, she would betray them. He could not understand why they would defend her, how they could accept her knowing she was a firebender. Had they forgotten what her kind had done to their families, to their homes, to the world?

"You should not assume that every single person in a country is the same or that you guys are the only ones to have suffered because of this war, and because of the Fire Nation. That would be very stupid, childish, and completely absurd."

"What did you say?!"

"I will say exactly the same thing I told Sokka, Katara, and Aang when I met them: yes I'm a firebender, yes I'm Fire Nation, but if you dislike me for that reason, you're exactly like that Fire Nation that doesn't acknowledge others. I am who I am and I won't deny it or deviate from my path. You have no idea how many people inside the Fire Nation rebelled against the Fire Lord's way and were exiled, executed or imprisoned. I too lost my family. Because they opposed this war, they were branded as traitors and killed while I was imprisoned. I'm not asking for forgiveness because as an individual I haven't done anything wrong. Nor am I asking you to forgive the Fire Nation. Injustice should not be forgiven. I decided to endure and not allow hatred and resentment to make me lose sight of who I really am and what's really important. The line is very thin between Justice and Revenge, that's why I sided with the Avatar, with Aang and Katara and Sokka. I know they will stop me if I ever try to cross that line. But as a firebender and a Noble I am ready to bear the sins of my people. That is why I will accept any challenge. But if you want to challenge me you must think carefully whether it will be as a leader and representative of a community or as a simple vengeance-driven man. If it is the latter, you will not be able to win. I cannot and will not be defeated by anyone who's blinded and lost himself in anger, hatred or revenge."

Sparks suddenly flashed. Her dragon straight sword held horizontally above her head, pushing up the tiger hook swords that were pressing down to cut her, their arms trembling under the effort. That last statement had been the last straw. Jet had lost his cool and attacked, stung, as deep down he knew in which category he belonged even though he would never admit it. She had sensed the truth and still said it. He resented how she always talked like she knew everything, and he resented the fact that she did know, and seemed to see right through his heart. She was really Fire Nation after all... acting so arrogant, self-righteous, lecturing him, trampling on him...

"And what if it's both?" They disengaged and jumped backward.

"That'd depend on which is stronger... between the leader and the man... and between the tiger and the dragon!" They held their breath in anticipation, at the mercy of each other's eyes. They did not budge, not even one step, and lunged at each other. Their swords clashed, their wills to fight intertwined, their souls springing forth from their blades, continuously blocking, deflecting, and avoiding, approaching and brushing past each other, back to back, back to front, shoulder to shoulder, before sliding back, locking eyes, and attacking again.

Katara was begging them to stop until Aang told her to carefully look at them and let them be. That was something they wanted and needed to do. That fight was necessary. They had their honor and pride at stake, and he trusted Chenlian to solve things in a way only she could. But that was not all, at least not for the firebender. Chenlian was smirking. That man was skilled, really skilled! If only it hadn't started because of such a reason, they could have enjoyed this match to a completely different extent! Both were extremely resourceful warriors who had spent years fighting for their survival. But as the combat continued with neither of them being able to touch the other, Jet's rage was growing and growing again. How could that firebender look like she was having so much fun?! Was she mocking him?! And yet, how could she be so good?! She seemed to avoid all of his attacks effortlessly while he could barely dodge hers! How was it that she could read him so easily while he couldn't read her and her movements at all!? Changing the course in the middle of a blow, switching her hold from her right hand to her left, from the handle to the tassle, sometimes throwing it and completely letting it go... how random! She was really going easy on these soldiers... was she going easy on him too? No... or...

_"But if you want to challenge me you must think carefully whether it will be as a leader and representative of a community or as a simple vengeance-driven man. If it is the latter, you will not be able to win. I cannot and will not be defeated by anyone who's blinded and lost himself in anger, hatred or revenge." _No... it was impossible, it couldn't be... it couldn't be... That **_firebender_**... how... dared she?!

"Stop joking around and fight me seriously! Come on, use your firebending! Or am I too fast for you?" He swung his blades at her, one aimed at her neck from her left and another at her right side.

"Now **_you_** are joking." She hopped backwards, the twin weapons crossed harmlessly, when they reached their maximum angle, she stepped in and thrust her sword to his guts. He backed a little and retreated, yanking his arms to catch the tip of the blade between his hooks but at the last second she stopped and instead kicked the side of his head, throwing him off balance, pivoted on her right foot and slashed horizontally at his right side. He blocked. "I don't have to obey you. I want to fight you on equal footing. That's how a duel should be. Is it such a bad thing?"

"Don't be such a hypocrite! And don't underestimate me!" He forced her away and lunged again, attacking more and more fiercely, more and more recklessly, as his rage and frustration and all the pent-up feelings that have been consuming him were unleashed by the words of the firebender girl.

"Call me whatever you want, I still won't use my firebending." She smiled sadly. The boy's increase in speed and aggressivity had allowed him to make a few rips in her clothing. Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes wide, and there were looks of horror from the onlookers. The cuts on her clothes had formed an angle and the fabric had sagged, revealing the ugly and badly healed burn scar on her chest. "Ah, that? Just a little souvenir from my first escape from the Fire Nation... nothing much, after all we've all got similar scars and it doesn't hamper my movements. It's nothing to be flustered about."

"I'm not flustered!" He lunged again. But because of his impatience, her attacks were also starting to hit more often (of course with the pommel of the sword or her body as she didn't want to injure him gravely), adding to his already considerable frustration. And he was all the more infuriated since she kept all her calm and cool and he was the only one getting angry. It was like she was showing him the difference between them, between their ability to cope with things. And that scar also had showed him something he didn't want to see. He was caught in the cycle. Chenlian could not lose her composure before him. Her expression had changed. He reminded her so much of how she was back then, and how she still was even now somewhere in the darkest recesses of her heart. And he also reminded her of him. Prisoner of the past, desperately holding onto something, unable to let go, to accept, to face the truth, to face the loss, to change, thinking they're moving forward while they're only fleeing, piling up mistakes... She wanted him to understand! And she wanted to save him! No... she wanted **_them_** to understand, and she wanted to save **_them_** both!

"Quit your nonsense! You come and destroy our land, our villages, our families! Apologise in hell!" He shouted, trying to impale her with the pointy ends of his swords but she had blocked him again. She applied more force, swinging upward. Destabilized, he staggered a few steps back.

"Sorry, I've already gone to hell and come back. But you... what do you see in the darkness of revenge? And then what are you gonna howl about once you get it? Well, too bad for you, my life isn't so cheap that I'd just hand it over to you. Come at me with everything." Chenlian pointed her sword at him, staring at him and only him, her gaze far straighter, sharper, more piercing, more dazzling than her own blade. There was nothing he could say, nothing he could do but lunge at her as she had told him. She lowered her arms, keeping them slightly aspread, leaving herself completely open as the opponent closed in. Now was the time to end it.

The girl let go of her sword that fell on the ground and caught the blades with her hands. Many people gasped. Aang, Katara, and Sokka watched with horror. Jet remained frozen for a few second before the unthinkable fact that had just occurred. He tried to recuperate them but Chenlian only gripped them tighter. Her eyes were like the clear sky after a stormy night, immensely vast, unfathomably deep, without a single cloud of fear, pain, or doubt – as they had all dissipated – and yet were burning with the fires of dawn, like carrying all the promises of a new day. It was obvious she was hurt, there was no way she did not feel pain. But such washer conviction, a spirit like hardened steel, toughened over the years and countless life-threatening situations, and that made his own conviction waver for a second. He tried to kick her away but he had barely raised his leg that she suddenly pulled him to her, let go, caught his left elbow in an armlock, swept his legs, made him fall back, and grabbed his left wrist as the sharpened end of the hilt was descending upon her. The firebender then shifted her stance, pinning him down with her knee on his abdomen, his right arm under her left foot, his left arm still locked and her left fist against his throat. They stayed like this for a few seconds that felt like an eternity. Everyone was holding their breath.

"My win!" Chenlian suddenly smiled. That seemed to make Jet snap back to reality and hatred burned again in his gaze.

"Kill me." He spat.

"Kill you? Why would I kill you?" The mahogany haired girl looked at him like he was crazy. "I wanted a victory, not a life."

"Like I'd believe someone from the Fire Nation! You put an act before the Avatar but you must have killed dozens of people!"

"I never killed a single person. I want to end the war. I won't do anything to make it worse. Sorry to take you out of your comfort zone. You know, each time I was about to give in to my hatred and desire for revenge I thought about the consequences and I thought about my reasons. The Fire Lord feared my family, and he fears me because my family is still alive in me. Staying alive and staying myself, that is my revenge, my wish, and my family's wish. I told you, I cannot and will not be defeated by anyone who's blinded and lost himself in anger, hatred or revenge. That means you, all those like that in the different nations, including the Fire Nation whose bending now relies on anger... and that also means me."

"Don't talk like you know-" He was silenced by her look. She snorted in derision at herself and the world and smiled a poignantly kind and sad smile, a smile that stirred something in his heart.

"Stupid, I talk because I know. You're a good fighter, a good leader and I want to believe you're a good person. So don't let that hatred twist you and make you act like that same Fire Nation you despise. A really good leader does not act on emotions and must remain cool and level-headed at all times. Look at me with objective eyes. See me for who I am, not what I am. But if you still want to have a go at me, I will be your opponent however many times you want." She stood up and stepped back. Even if there was still a latent hostility like a strong undertone, it seemed somewhat more subdued than before. She was still hated and despised, but at least she had been acknowledged by everyone. She turned back to the brown-haired young man and held out her hand, once more looked straight in his brown eyes that bored back into her amber ones. Why did it feel like she was challenging him again? To accept that hand, to stain his own hand with blood, a firebender's blood, **_her_** blood... it was like she was asking him if it really was what he wanted, and if he could accept what she had said, accept his loss, accept her as she was as Aang, Katara, and Sokka had done? Torn between his hatred for her and his hatred for losing, his eyes plunged into hers again. He felt his resolution waver, or like a tug at his heart, and, scowling, grabbed her wrist, resenting how easily she could corner him with her actions, her words, and her eyes. There were murmurs again. Katara seemed to wake up. She called her female friend crazy and reckless for stopping swords with her hands and accompanied by Aang and Sokka, took her away to treat her. She cleaned the wounds, and was surprised at their shallowness. Her fingerless gloves might have helped but still! In fact she had first caught them between her thumbs and her bent fingers before holding them. Chenlian told her to rummage in her luggage for a certain bag and to mash the leaves into a paste to apply. The next day they would make compresses with another macerated plant. The waterbender was very gentle but that did not stop the mahogany haired girl from wincing a few times. They could not understand why she would be flinching now of all times.

"Ah... well... you know how it is... right...?"

_No we don't..._

"The adrenaline, not showing any weakness to those who would hurt you, well, that part was the way I was raised though... just some time ago it would have been the same with you... but that aside... thank you, for everything."

They all smiled. Now she trusted them enough to show them her real self, just like they trusted her.

The next day, Jet and Sokka were perched on branches on the same tree. Jet whistled like a bird and several trees down Pipsqueak and Smellerbee sent a reply call. Sokka rammed his jawbone knife into the trunk of the tree. The Freedom Fighter asked him what he was doing. The ponytailed warrior answered it amplified vibrations. Jet was impressed: it was a good trick. The Water Tribesman cupped his hands around the pommel bone' and put his ear to it, waiting until he heard someone approach. There was only one person. Jet whistled again. He complimented Sokka and told him to ready his weapon. Sokka pulled the knife out of the tree and waited. His eyes widened when the 'someone' came into view: it was just a stooped old man with a cane and wearing a simple red robe!

"Wait! False alarm! He's just an old man." Sokka alerted in a low voice before watching with horror as Jet stood and extended his hook swords nonetheless, then leapt to the ground in front of the traveler.

"What are you doing in our woods, you leech." He snarled with a hateful and disgusted expression.

"Please sir, I'm just a traveler." The elderly begged. Jet took a step, and with one swipe of his sword sent the man's cane flying from his hand. The old man backed away, but when he tried to flee the way he came, he ran face first into Pipsqueak's chest. The force of the impact knocked him to the ground; the giant looming over him. He attempted to crawl away, but Pipsqueak pinned him down with a foot on his back.

"Do you like destroying towns? Do you like destroying families? Do you?!" He demanded, his words echoing what he had said just a few hours earlier. He might have let Chenlian's matter on hold for now, but he would be damned if he did the same for everyone else.

"Oh please, let me go, have mercy." The elder pleaded.

"Does the Fire Nation let people go?! Does the Fire Nation have mercy?!" Jet winded up a kick, trying to ignore the warm, kind, and unbelievably sad smile of a fair young lady with mahogany hair and amber eyes. His foot was snagged by Sokka's club before the kick could be delivered. Sokka released him.

"Jet, he's just an old man!"

"He's Fire Nation! Search him!" Jet barked. Pipsqueak held the prisoner while Smellerbee did as told.

"But he's not hurting anyone!"

"Have you forgotten that the Fire Nation killed your mother? Remember why you fight!" Again his otherwise handsome features were completely and hideously distorted.

"We've got his stuff, Jet." Smellerbee held up a shoulder satchel the old man was carrying. The elderly was back on the ground.

"This doesn't feel right." Sokka replied strongly. So their mindset won't change so fast and easily even after meeting Chenlian, huh?

"It's what has to be done. Now let's get outta here." Jet pushed past Sokka, followed by Pipsqueak and Smellerbee. The Water Tribesman looked at the old man still on his hands and knees before he was urged by the young leader of the Freedom Fighters. Sokka slowly turned and ran after the others.

At the hideout, Aang and Momo were playing with the ziplines again. He leapt to a platform where Sokka was sitting, visibly upset about something. But the child took no notice. He wanted to show him the gift he had gotten from the Duke. He pulled a small pellet from a snatchel he was wearing and with a sly grin, tossed it next to Momo, where it exploded with a pop. Momo puffed up like a startled cat. He growled and lunged for the satchel before sitting on Aang's shoulder and tossing pellets at his feet. Aang danced about wildly to avoid being hit and told him to quit it. His human friend, however, was oblivious of it all, sitting with his back to the trunk and staring at the platform before him, frowning. Walking up to him, his sister asked if Jet was back.

"Yeah he's back. But we're leaving." The brother answered curtly. The Avatar was surprised and Katara did not want to as she had made him a hat. From behind her back, she produced a cap made out of stitched leaves with a flower on top. That hat seemed too cute and girly for that guy. "Jet's a thug."

"What? No, he's not."

"He's messed up Katara."

"He's not messed up, he's just got a different way of life, a really fun way of life." Aang also contradicted him. As usual, the priority for him was to have fun.

"He beat and robbed a harmless old man!" The ponytailed warrior snapped at last.

"I wanna hear Jet's side of the story." Katara frowned, her arms crossed.

"Sokka you told them what happened but you didn't mention that the guy was Fire Nation?" Jet spoke, containing his anger. He and the foursome were in a lantern-lit hut. The head of the Freedom Fighters was sitting on a hammock-bed. Aang was wearing the hat Katara had made; making him look like an acorn.

"No, he conveniently left that part out." Katara glared at her brother who was standing the farthest from Jet and closest to the entrance.

"Fine! But even if he was Fire Nation, he was a harmless civilian."

"He was an assassin, Sokka." Jet contradicted him, pulling out a knife and thrusting it into a nearby block of wood. It was a sinister looking curved blade with four spikes evenly spaced along the grip, with enough space for fingers to go between them, and a ring on the butt of the knife. "See? There's a compartment for poison in the knife." He pulled on the ring and removed a small glass tube filled with orange liquid. "He was sent to eliminate me. You helped save my life, Sokka." He showed clever kindness to the one who showed clear hostility. Katara was relieved. She knew there must have been an explanation. Sokka argued back vehemently that he didn't see any knife. Jet explained that was because he was concealing it.

"See, Sokka? I'm sure you just didn't notice the knife." The waterbender added.

"There was no knife! I'm going back to the hut and packing my things." Her brother declared strongly before marching out of the hut.

"Katara, I want to ask you something." Chenlian surprised everyone as she had been rather quiet until now. "If that old man had really been harmless, would it have been alright to beat him and rob him?"

"What?! No! Of course not!"

"I see." The firebender smiled sweetly, satisfied.

"Does it mean you don't believe me?" Jet asked Chenlian defensively.

"I don't know. I can't tell anything for sure since I wasn't there. It IS possible for Sokka to have missed a concealed weapon. And it IS possible that you're lying to us. I think you could do ANYthing to achieve your goal, even lie, manipulate, or harm people who did nothing wrong except being born in the nation you hate or who were just unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time... and dismiss them as 'necessary sacrifices'. That's exactly how the Fire Nation wages war. And I can't view people as mere disposable pawns, nor agree with or trust anyone who does..."

"Are you saying that Jet-" But Katara was cut off.

"I have no certainties. I'm merely exposing the possibilies and giving a warning. Unlike you and Aang, I don't trust people easily. If I did, I would have died a long time ago. Katara, you can be blinded by hate, but also by love. And I sincerely hope that you'll be careful and that it isn't what's happening to you. I really, really, **really** like you, so I don't want to you to be sad." Chenlian started leaving when Jet stopped her.

"Wait, tell me you guys aren't leaving yet. I really need your help. Yours too, Chenlian." He had changed tactics. She was sharp and dangerous and it wouldn't be smart to alienate her. Better use her. Luckily she seemed to be subservient to the Avatar and ready to do anything that would make her look good before him. Aang asked what they could do. "The Fire Nation is planning on burning down our forest. If you both use water bending to fill the reservoir, we could fight the fires. And Chenlian, because you control fire, you can simply put them out with your firebending. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley." He said. Aang and Katara looked at each other.

When they entered their hut, Sokka was tying up a roll on the floor. Katara was refusing to leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest.

"I'm sorry Katara. Jet's very smooth, but we can't trust him." Her brother apologised.

"You know what I think? You're jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader!" She retorted angrily.

"Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet. It's just that my instinct-"

"Well **_my_** instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on Aang."

"Sorry Sokka." They left the hut, the torn curtain closing on Sokka and Chenlian.

"And you, don't tell me that you're also completely smitten with him." He asked the female firebender.

"That's impossible." She scoffed confidently. "I don't trust Jet either. It is very difficult to trust someone who'd stop at nothing to get what he wants. But at least... I want to give him the benefit of the doubt. If the Fire Nation is really about to burn down the forest that would be a problem. If it's something else... then the two of us will take care of it. I would stay if only to verify his claims."

It was night. A full moon was shining and Appa was snoring up a storm as he slept on his back. Chenlian left the hut and sat at the edge of the platform, her feet dangling, where she remained for a time, her blanket around her back, just listening to the sounds of the night... until she heard a set of footsteps.

"Have you come to kill me when no one's looking?"

"And what if I did?" Jet asked back. Although she could not know whether he had really come for that, if he was testing her to know what she would do or say.

"That would be unwise and dishonourable."

"Why that?" But for some reason, he was the one who could not help but feel judged and tested. And he could not help but be caught in her pace.

"If you really believe you're in your right to try and kill me, challenge me again fair and square in broad daylight and before an audience instead of sneaking around when no one's looking. Although the only wrongs I did to you was to hurt your pride and feelings." She smiled in self derision. Jet growled interiorly. That attitude was really a problem! "Justice without Love is nothing more than murder and revenge." The young girl continued; her eyes downcast. "Although Aang is still young and untrained, he is still the Avatar. He considers all life sacred. You'll certainly say this naivety has no place in this world... but I believe this world would be better if more people were naïve like him. That is why I won't forgive people who try to manipulate him."

"You say pretty words but you hate the Fire Lord enough to kill him a thousand times over, and you're using the Avatar to kill him in your stead. I don't want to be lectured by you."

"It's true that I hate the Fire Lord as much as you say, and I'd be more than happy if Aang could kill him. But... I really dislike having this lump of darkness inside, and I really dislike being controlled by anyone or anything, even my own feelings. It might not be the best one, but if a solution exists that will solve things without death, I want to be able to grab it and accept it. I trust Aang, if in the end he chooses to stop him without killing him as I'm pretty sure he will, I want to be able to accept his decision. And that is why I'm trying to curb my own hatred. It's really difficult though. Jet, no matter what you think or feel, I am a firebender and ally of the Avatar... I know the enemies better than anyone and once he has learned waterbending and earthbending, I can teach Aang firebending, aiding in the completion of his Avatar training. And that is why he would be unwise to kill me."

"That's pretty rational of you."

"And there's something else I feel compelled to tell you. During my time on the run

from the Fire Nation, I met many types of people during my travels. Some of which I would risk my life to protect, in the Fire Nation, but also in the Northern Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom. With the world the way it is... there are plenty who more than deserve to be killed. But those who kill others must be prepared to be killed themselves. That's the law of consequences. The reason I chose not to kill isn't because I'm not prepared, but I refuse to be bound to that chain. The moment you are willing to sacrifice innocent lives, and cease to be able to distinguish between right and wrong you become nothing more than a tyrant, an evil murderer. That is why I want to always find a way to solve things without having to kill. That is why, Jet, if I see you are about to become a tyrant and an evil murderer, I will do everything to stop you. And if you could become someone I could entrust my life to like Aang, Sokka and Katara, then I would also protect you with my life." She looked straight at him again. She was too sincere, too pure in a way. Kind yet cruel, soft-hearted yet strong-minded, more than an absence of negative emotions, it was how well she would supress them. So unlike him... She suddenly smiled sweetly and resignedly after a time. "Well, I'm going. Sorry for hurting your feelings, acting all high and mighty and making you listen to my hyprocrite, long-winded and boring lectures. Goodnight, Jet." She stood up and returned inside. Jet stared at her until she disappeared behind the curtain. Being admonished again and again by a firebender... how must that have sounded to him? Really. That was something she didn't need to do. He didn't need to listen to that. He didn't want to. But... Yet... Looking at her scar made him wonder how did it feel to have no place in this world, to be hunted everywhere in this world, even your own country. He at least still had his country.

Later, long after Chenlian had gone back to sleep, Sokka stirred and snaped awake, pulling the door flap aside enough to see some of Jet's followers descending on the rope lines.. On the ground, the Freedom Fighters were quietly pushing the loaded wagon as Jet led them out of the camp. Sokka followed after them, careful to avoid detection. In the dark valley, the walled town sat on the far side of a river that cuts through the forest. Upstream, and up toward the wall of the valley was an old falls, and beyond that a man-made dam. A bare cliff off to the reservoir's left provided the view.

"Now listen you are not to blow the dam until I give the signal. If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation troops could survive."

"But what about the people in the town won't they get wiped out too?" The Duke asked innocently, jumping off the wagon. Jet placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Look Duke, that's the price of ridding this area of the Fire Nation." He declared, once more pushing the image and words of the mahogany-haired girl to the far back of his mind. He then told Longshot not to blow the dam until he gave the signal. The archer agreed. Sokka watched incredulously from the bushes. He frowned, and heard rustling just before Pipsqueak dragged him out by his topknot.

"Where do you think you're going, ponytail?" Smellerbee sneered, instantly putting a knife at the throat of the Water Tribe warrior.

Jet watched as Pipsqueak and Smellerbee dragged Sokka between them and commented sarcastically that he was glad he had decided to join them. Sokka was sent to his knees by his captors. He rubbed his shoulder.

"I heard your plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom town."

"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation."

"There are people living there Jet mothers and fathers and children."

"We can't win without making some sacrifices."

"You lied to Aang, Katara and Chenlian about the forest fire!" On his feet again, Sokka pointed an accusing finger at Jet.

"Because they don't understand the demands of war. Not like you and I do." He raised an eyebrow. "Although it's more like Chenlian refuses to understand." He looked sideways, frowning slightly. He had noticed that when you were near her, you could not help but be pulled along by her, and when you were away from her, your thoughts would naturally turn to her during difficult times or moments of decision, and that was no matter how reluctant you were...

"I do understand. I understand that Chenlian was right and there's nothing you won't do to get what you want."

"I was hoping you'd have an open mind, and that you'd trust me more than the enemy, but I can see you've made your choice." Pipsqueak and Smellerbee grabbed for Sokka. Before he could even react, Jet had his wrist pinned with the hooks of his shuang gou. Sokka's other hand was forced behind his back. "I can't let you warn Chenlian, Katara and Aang." Jet released Sokka's hand that was immediately forced behind his back. "Take him for a walk... a long walk."

"You can't do this!"

"Cheer up, Sokka. We're gonna win a great victory against the Fire Nation today."

Jet, Katara, Chenlian and Aang were walking upriver along the west bank. A small thread of water was trickling in the gully that was large enough to contain a Fire Nation tank, and in the reservoir that could easily house Zuko's ship was a puddle. Katara apologised about the way Sokka – and Chenlian – had been acting. The firebender kept quiet but wondered what she should have apologised for. What could be wrong with giving your opinion and advice? She had merely spoken the truth. Jet replied it was no worries since Sokka had already apologized and after the fight he had a talk with Chenlian. Again, the young girl with mahogany hair remained silent. True, they had talked, but wasn't she the one who had done all the talking? She had mostly talked about herself too, hoping to change his prejudiced opinion. But although it was better than before, she had not felt that the leader of the Freedom Fighters had been a model of receptiveness and tolerance and acceptation.

"Really?" Aang and Katara stopped and looked at one another, disbelief etched onto their faces. "Sokka apologized?"

"Yeah I was surprised too. I got the sense that maybe you talked to him or something." Jet followed up.

"Yeah, I did." Katara did not remember her words having any effect on her brother.

"I guess something you said got through to him. Anyhow, he went out on a scouting mission with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee."

"I'm glad he cooled off. He's so stubborn sometimes." They were now walking in the gully, beside the river. Aang paused after noticing something strange, then was launched into the air by a blast from the geyser he was standing on. They were here. Jet told them about the underground water trying to escape through these vents. He needed them to help it along. Katara was still unsure. She had never used bending on water she couldn't see. Jet stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, his mouth right next to her ear.

"Katara. You can do this." He gently and seductively encouraged her.

"What about me?" Aang asked, back on his feet. He did not seem to have read the atmosphere. But the young brown haired rogue knew the Avatar could do this.

Aang and Katara stood on either side of one of the many smoking holes in the gully and performed bending gestures under Chenlian's and Jet's careful watch. After a few minutes, a bloby stream of water emerged from the vent. They pulled it to their height then sent it toward the river where it kept flowing. The water quickly joined the river. Jet congratulated them. This river emptied into the reservoir, a few more geysers and it'd be full. Aang excitedly went to another steam vent, followed by Katara. The leader of the Freedom Fighters told them to keep it up while he would go check on things at the reservoir. He turned and walked away.

"When we're done we'll meet you over there." The waterbender told him.

"Actually probably better if you meet me back at the hideout when you're done." He contradicted her. Suddenly Chenlian stopped. Since she was not needed for that, she had decided to go look for Sokka. She knew how resourceful he was, but that was a matter of principles. She could not leave someone she cared about alone, because she was through losing people.

"He's not alone, but with Pipsqueak and Smellerbee. Why would anything happen to him?"

"They're your underlings, who answer to you alone."

"And you mean we're not all friends?"

"Funny, hearing that out of the mouth of someone who hates firebenders and the Fire Nation with every fiber of his being."

"That's not how you see me..."

"...I would like us to be friends, I really do, but the way you are now, I cannot trust you." As usual, she had merely stated a fact. But in her eyes could be seen all the sadness, longing, and the sheer sincerity of her wish despite knowing what kind of person he really was. She was looking at him, at the real him, not the one he had made himself out to be for Aang and Katara. His eyes widened. She knew, or at least was at 99% sure. Where could he have slipped?! When had she caught on?! And before he had the time to recover and stop her, before anyone could say anything, she took off. And Jet left too.

After Aang and Katara had bended a half dozen fountains to flow into the river, the girl suggested that they caught up with Jet at the reservoir. The Avatar thought they had agreed to meet him back at the hideout but she did not care: they had finished early, she was sure he was going to be happy to see them, even though she was the one who most wanted to see him.

While in the forest, Pipsqueak and Smellerbee were following Sokka, who had his hands tied behind his back. Smellerbee gave the prisoner a shove, ordering him to move along; Sokka stumbled but remained on his feet. He wanted to know how they could stand by and do nothing while Jet wiped out a whole town. The larger rebel retorted that Jet was a great leader. They followed what he said, and things always turned out okay. The Water Tribesman noticed a couple of snare leaf-piles nearby, which also included piles of nuts.

"If that's how Jet leads... then he's got a lot to learn." Sokka commented, suddenly sprinting in the direction of the snares. The long knife user made a grab for him, but missed. The captors chased their escapee. Sokka leapt over the leaf piles. Pipsqueak and Smellerbee didn't, and ended up captured instead and hanging many feet up in the air. "While you two are up there you might want to practice your knot-work." The ponytailed warrior advised, holding up his now-worthless bindings, before turning and walking away.

"Hey Smellerbee you gonna eat your leechee nuts?" Pipsqueak asked, seeing the brightest side of the situation in his simple-mindedness. A nut angrily struk him in the head and landed in the pile he was holding. "Ooh." He picked one up and licked his lips.

Katara and Aang were standing on the edge of the cliff. At the base of the dam, four Freedom Fighters were unloading barrels from the wagon and arranging them. The waterbender asked what they were doing. Aang recognised the red barrels they had got from the Fire Nation. Katara could not – or rather did not want to – understand why they would need blasting jelly.

"Because Jet's gonna blow up the dam." The airbender answered dreafully.

"What? No... that would destroy the town. Jet wouldn't do that." She was horrified. The Avatar snapped his glider open and ran to the edge. He had to stop him. "Jet wouldn't do that." Katara repeated, hopeful, fearful, and much less convinced before the evidence. But before Aang could reach the edge, Jet crossed his path from behind and snatched the glider. Aang was left wobbling precariously on the edge, and used an airbending move to get himself back on stable footing.

"Yes I would." Jet replied with simple and terrible conviction.

"Jet, why?" The brown-haired girl implored.

"Katara, you would too if you just stopped to think. Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother, to their own people, we can't let them do that to anyone else, ever again."

"This isn't the answer!"

"I want you to understand me Katara... I thought your brother would understand, but-"

"Where's Sokka?" Katara demanded, the bitter tears of agony from such betrayal falling from her eyes. Sokka had been right. Chenlian had been right. Because of her prejudices, she had believed him instead of her own brother, and that firebender who should have been her enemy but who cared more about her than that man. Jet gently reached out and touched her face, whispering her name in an imploring tone. But this no longer worked. She bowed her head, and with a shout full of suffering and resentment, sent Jet flying with the water from her waterskin before drawing it back into the recipient when she was done. Aang needed to get to the dam but as he reached for his closed glider on the ground, the crescent end of one of Jet's shuang gou pinned it before he pulled it to him with a yank. He caught the flying device and strapped it to his back, saying he was not going anywhere without his glider. The young leader swung his blade at Aang, making it twirl as he stepped forward. The airbender somersaulted backwards to avoid the extra reach and retreated in a nearby tree. He did not want to fight Jet but the latter replied he had to if he wanted his glider back.

Aang withdrew into the forest. Jet hooked the branch and pulled himself up, chasing after him as Katara followed on the ground. Jet attacked; Aang defended himself with balls of air, which his opponent ducked. The swordsmaster attacked head on, but the airbender blocked with his arms and sent his opponent flying into a tree trunk with an air kick. Jet combined his swords again and advanced. Aang avoided the flail-like move and sent another air blast. Jet stooped down and let the air flow over and past him, and lunged. They continued the chase through the many levels of the forest. The rebel caught up to Aang by reading his movements and forced him down. Both were freefalling, attacking as they went. They both landed on a branch. Jet charged again, though the Avatar avoided it all. The Freedom Fighter lunged, relentlessly swinging his blades, until he tried to stab him. The airbender evaded him by sliding below the branch and climbing back up further away. He hit Jet with a jetstream of air that he kept going and twirling around the branch until his opponent fell. Jet recovered, but lost the glider in the process. And before Aang could get to it, the warrior let himself fall and kicked him into a trunk. The little monk crashed with a thud next to his glider.

A small stream was running a few yards away. Aang was slow to get up. But before Jet could take more than a step, he was hit by a large water strike. Katara was there; she used water from the little stream to throw Jet against the trunk of the tree. Over and over she attacked, discharging all of her anger and pain, all of her bitterness and frustration in each attack. Jet was unable to cut the water and its force plastered him against the trunk. She bended the water into ice, freezing the rebel, encasing him in a prison of ice, and leaving only his head.

"Why, Jet?! I can't believe I trusted you! You lied to me! You're sick and I trusted you!" The waterbender cried. Jet snorted.

"That's-" Suddenly a loud rumble was heard as a huge volume of water broke through the dam and rushed forth and swept through the town, black smoke still billowing above the ruined dam.

"No..." Aang and Katara whispered, horrified. Had Sokka and Chenlian failed?

"No!" Jet also yelled. Why now?! He had not given the signal yet! The reservoir wasn't even three quarters full, barely two thirds! That was why he needed to stall them more! Why?! How?!

"Don't worry, Aang, Katara, everything is alright. You've failed, Jet. And everyone is safe." It was Chenlian who had risen from below, jets of fire streaming forth from her fists and feet, and landed on the promontory.

"Chenlian!" Jet bellowed.

"I had first gone to the dam before going straight to the town where Sokka already was."

"That's right." Sokka appeared on Appa's head. "We warned the villagers of your plan, just in time."

"What?!" Jet vociferated again.

"At first they didn't believe me. The Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy." Sokka continued."But I got help from Chenlian, and one man vouched for us, the old man you attacked. He urged them to trust us, and we got everyone out in time."

"And when I saw things would be fine I went back to the dam. I had to destroy it before it could be full... before you could give the order that would kill innocent people." She wanted to save him, at least partly. Because she didn't want him to give such an order, because he reminded her of Zuko, and because she too could have turned out like him, she wanted to save him.

"You fools! We could've freed this valley!"

"Who would be free?" Chenlian asked.

"Everyone would be dead." Sokka finished as Aang and Momo jumped onto the saddle.

"You traitors!"

"No, Jet. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people."

"Katara. Please help me." Jet turned to the girl he had deceived and manipulated.

"Goodbye Jet." Forcing back her tears, the young waterbender climbed onto the saddle without looking back.

"Chenlian?" Sokka asked the firebender as she was showing no sign of doing the same.

"Please go ahead, I'll catch up with you in a few minutes."

"Alright. Yip yip." Sokka gave Appa's reigns a flick.

"What do you want?" Jet snapped, but again, the words were caught in his throat when she turned to look at him, because she looked simply this sad. She was just unbelievably sad, for him. She didn't feel hurt or betrayed because she had not trusted him, only hoped. But in the end more keeping her hopes up, she had kept her presence of mind and objectivity.

"I know of someone who makes many mistakes too. And I know that neither of you is bad at heart. It is the war that made you this way. I want to believe that you still can change yourselves, and go back to your real and kind self. I know you have that power, all you need is the will. No matter what wrong you did, all you have to do is work as much good. That's what second chances are for. But then it's up to you whether to walk that path or not, whether you can and want to walk that path, for it is long and hard. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you don't stop. It's never too late to try and correct mistakes. And I... still want to believe in you." And despite her sadness, she smiled her usual kind, warm, sweet, gentle smile. And despite her sweetness, she had not lost any of her strength and sincerity. Even now, without a trace of doubt, she still believed in her own words, in her own judgement, and thus in him too, despite everything he had done to her and her friends. And she took off again to join the Avatar.

And his heart stirred. How he disliked her... He disliked her honest, open and straightforward personality, which were his opposite. He disliked how serene, confident, and unwavering she could be and how her mental strength, more than her physical strength, allowed her to stand above him despite having similar backgrounds. He disliked how she was the enemy and yet looked at him with such sincerity, such warmth, such kindness, such sadness... he disliked her because he could never probe the full depth of her personality. He disliked her because she would read right through him, see him in his entirety with all his flaws and his qualities, she knew him and understood him better than anyone and still wanted to believe in him. Because she was so completely in control of herself, her body, her emotions, she easily controlled people. Because she was so keen and straightforward, she made people notice things they did not want to. She was like a burning blade of light cruelly piercing and tearing the darkness in people's hearts apart, regardless of what the person wanted, forcing them to acknowledge her, become accustomed, until they could no longer let go of that light and warmth for fear of getting lost again. Because in such an era when everyone was for themselves, being so unreservedly cared for was as rare as it was precious. She was the type to give herself completely, to pour all of her heart and soul into everything.

"We thought you were going to the dam." Aang told Sokka. "And you to look for Sokka." He told Chenlian who had joined them. "How come you went to the town instead?"

"Lemme guess your instincts told you." Katara suggested. Earlier, she had apologised to her brother and her firebender friend for having doubted them, to which they had replied with their usual teasing, since that was the way fights between siblings and friends should end.

"Hey sometimes they're right." The boy defended himself.

"Um Sokka? You know we're going the wrong way, right?" Aang and Chenlian corrected him. Sokka was surprised, but quickly recovered.

"And sometimes they're wrong." He admitted good-heartedly with a grin as he pulled Appa's reigns to make him fly in the opposite direction.


	15. Peacemaker

**Fight****15: Peacemaker**

The sun was setting behind some tall rock formations. The scattered clouds reflected the light of the dying sun. Only a few pine trees and tiny patches of grass persisted in this dry and rocky region. After much struggling, Sokka finally managed putting up the tent. As he emerged from the flap opening, Katara arrived, carrying an arm load of firewood. She asked if he were not forgetting the tarp. In response he picked up the rolled up tarp and threw it through the open flap and into the tent.

"Sokka, you're supposed to put the tarp on TOP of the tent. You know, so we don't get rained on." The girl crossly pointed out, as if she were talking to a retarded person.

"Ordinarily you'd be right, but seeing how it's the dry season, you're not. Besides, that tarp makes a pretty warm blanket." He informed her in a similar tone.

"But what if it DOES rain?" The waterbender reasoned.

"But what if it doesn't? Then I would have put the tarp up for nothing." Sokka argued back, spreading his arms in exasperation. Katara stomped the ground and through gritted teeth, screamed about how infuriating he was. "Katara, why don't you worry about gathering the firewood because that kindling's looking PRETTY sorry." The warrior took his revenge, talking about the thin twig-like branches his sister had gathered that were nowhere near enough in number and size to keep a proper campfire going. The girl looked sullen then exploded in anger. She threw the wood at her brother and told him to have it if he didn't like her firewood. Sokka raised his hands to shield himself, a shocked expression on his face. He stood in anger after the hail of sticks subsided and retorted it was fine by him. And since she was not going to do her job he yanked the rope securing the tent to one of its supports. It fell down in a heap. Aang and Chenlian approached, their hands full of food. Appa was resting further away. The glowering siblings sharply and instantly turned away from each other, their arms across their chests and scowling expressions on their faces.

"Okay, I got the grub if you guys got the..." Aang paused. "Hey, where's the campfire? And what happened to the tent?"

"Why don't you ask Miss Know It All? Queen of the Twigs!"

"Oh yeah?" Katara whipped around to yell at her brother's back, pointing an accusatory finger. "Well you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the-" Sshe bent down quickly, picked up a twig, and threw it at Sokka. "...Tents!" The branch hit him the back of the head. He whipped around to face her too. Chenlian sighed. Siblings who did not fight simply did not exist. But at least, these two sincerely and deeply loved each other, and these fights were merely a healthy way of venting and exteriorizing their stress and anger. Aang laughed and spread his arms wide in a gesture of conciliation.

"Okay, listen guys. Harsh words won't solve problems, action will. Why don't you just switch jobs?" He suggested. The siblings agreed. Both began their new tasks, still fuming at the other. "You see that? Settling feuds and making peace. All in a days work for the Avatar." Aang smiled at Chenlian in a self satisfied way.

"Yes, yes. It's still far from world peace, but that's a beginning." The Fire Nation girl smiled back at him, slightly amused. She had recently understood that the little airbender monk was someone who could not live without his public and people's – and especially girls' – attention and appreciation. And so she had started acting accordingly. Aang's smile broke as he looked at a chittering Momo desperately trying to remove a melon that Appa was holding upright with one of the digits of his left forepaw. After much struggling, the lemur gave up and walked away, depressed. Appa groaned, opened his mouth, and his tongue scooped up the melon. And just as he did, Momo returned, grabbed the melon in a flash and ran away. He ran into Aang who took the melon, threw it in the air and sliced a small piece of it off with a jet of air. The large piece landed in front of Appa who ate it, and the small piece landed in front of Momo, who turned to Aang with a chirp of protest.

"Come on Momo, that's fair. Appa's got FIVE stomachs." The Avatar explained.

The next day, the group arrived at a gigantic canyon. Aang, Katara, Chenlian and Sokka were on the rim looking out over the breathtaking expanse. The monk presented it as the Great Divide. Katara voiced her amazement: she could just stare at it forever. Her brother was on the contrary completely unimpressed. Incredulous, she asked how he could not be fascinated by such scenery. They were standing before the largest canyon in the whole world! Sokka was standing next to Appa and holding his reigns, obviously ready to leave.

"Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away." His intention to depart quickly could not be any clearer.

Suddenly a man in an ornate white robe rushed past Sokka, rudely and roughly pushing him out of the way. He hailed them aggressively: if they were looking for the canyon guide, he was here first! Katara became interested at the mention of the canyon guide as it sounded informative.

"Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender. And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help. And he's takin' MY tribe across next!" While he was yammering, Sokka silently started to mock him by opening and closing his hand like a duck in the "this guy talks too much" gesture. When the scout was finished, he looked at Sokk, who feigned innocence and walked to his comrades.

"Calm down, we know you're next." The male warrior dismissed the newcomer's concerns.

"You wouldn't be calm if the Fire Nation destroyed YOUR home and forced YOU to flee!" He gestured to the vast canyon system in front of them. "My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se!" Katara understood that he was a refugee. "Humph. Tell me somethin' I don't know." The man shot back sarcastically. Aside from the fact that he was just another one who feared and hated the Fire Nation, he kind of reminded Chenlian of someone. Overly serious, constantly on edge, that one released the tension by his quick, aggressive way of talking and disagreeable remarks while the one in her mind did so by releasing jets of flames and cries of frustration. They were just like pressure-cookers. That could be tiring but also amusing. Then, on a path leading up to the canyon rim back through the surrounding forest, the group saw a mass of people approaching. The waterbender asked if that was his tribe.

"It most certainly is NOT." He looked at the people with distaste. They were dressed in crude animal skins and coarse robes, brown to red in color, and looked generally unkempt. "That's the Zhang tribe. A bunch of low-life _thieves_. They've been the enemies of my tribe for a hundred years." He whistled rudely. "Hey Zhangs! I'm savin' a spot for my tribe, so don't even THINK of stealing it!"

A huge Zhang woman – obviously the leader of the tribe – walked up to the scout menacingly. He leant back, somewhat intimidated. "Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their campsite?" She asked disdainfully.

"Yes! But they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot." He leant back forward to puch his interlocutor back.

"I didn't know the canyon Guide took reservations." The large and strong woman taunted with a smirk, crossing her arms.

"Heh! Of course you didn't. That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang! So unorganized and ill prepared for a journey." The smaller man retorted without restraint. At this, the entire Zhang tribe began to grumble loudly. An angry mob was about to form. Aang and Katara were disconcerted. Momo was behind them, sitting on a pile of rocks on the lip of the canyon. Suddenly, the sound of moving earth was heard and the rocks underneath him quivered. Momo jumped out of the way as the rocks were raised up and thrown out of the path by an old man, the earthbending canyon guide, in a straw hat and green clothing.

"Sorry about the wait, youngsters." The pot-bellied, white-mustached, smiling man grunted before gesturing to the majestic canyon below them. "Who's ready to cross this here canyon?"

"Um... one of them I think." Katara pointed at the man and the tribe at her right. The Gan Jin ran forward saying he was here first and his party was on their way. The earthbender raised an eyebrow: he could not guide people who were not here. The Zhang filed past the four teens and the fuming scout.

"Guess you guys'll have to make the trip tomorrow." The female leader teased again when the young man pointed in triumph at his tribe, arriving by another path. The Gan Jins were walking in stately order towards them. They were all dressed elegantly in fine white, cream, and yellow robes and wore formal expressions on their faces, very proper and refined – if not overly fastidious – in demeanor. The Zhang Leader sharply turned around to look at the newcomers. The two tribes were now facing each other. The female chief pointed a finger at the canyon guide's chest. He could not seriously cave into these spoiled Gan Jins! They were refugees too and had sick people that needed shelter! The plump earthbender did not know what to say or how to react. The Gan Jin scout replied that they had old people weary from travelling. To which the Zhang Leader retorted that sick people got priority over old people.

"Maybe you Zhang's wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs." The head of the Gan Jin's, a fit old man with perfectly trimmed long white hair and beard, shot.

"If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, maybe you wouldn't live to be so old." The opposite chief snarled back. As the verbal warfare continued, Katara asked Aang whether he was ready to put his peace making skills to the test. But the airbender was not so confident: a fight over chores was one thing, but these people had been feuding for a hundred years. Ignoring his doubts, the waterbender walked forward and raised her voice to be heard by all.

"Everyone, listen up!" She pointed backward at Aang, a fierce look on her face. "This is the Avatar! And if you give him a chance, I'm sure he can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy." She declared with conviction. Chenlian smiled in a very proud and satisfied manner. During important and difficult times, women always were much more reliable than men. You could always count on their instinct, strength, courage, and decisiveness. Men liked to say 'judge men by courage and women by charm.'... but it was always the contrary. The two tribes looked to Aang for a moment in silence.

"Uh...you could share the earthbender and travel together?" The Avatar timidly suggested the most obvious solution. Both tribes refused vehemently. The Gan Jin's preferred being taken by the Fire Nation than travel with "those stinking thieves". On the other side, the Zhang's were not overly eager to travel with those "pompous fools" either. To what the Gan Jin leader pompously retorted that he was not pompous. General pandemonium broke out as the tribes started yelling at each other until Aang snapped at them.

"Alright! Here's the deal! We're all going down together and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across. Does that seem fair?" He vociferated, sick and tired of their meaningless verbal batterings. The two leaders grudgingly nodded their approval. The four teens smiled.

The sick and elderly were helped onto Appa's saddle. The separation was clear between the two groups who were eyeing each other suspiciously in the saddle. They were sitting as far away as possible from each other, while Chenlian was sitting on the driver's seat on the bison's head. She was to stop the fights, cook, treat the sick when she could, and help them in general. It was certainly going to be annoying but she was nonetheless well suited for the job since she had a thing to make people obey her and despite her sharp tongue, she took good care of people and never asked more than what they could handle. Anyway with both Chenlian and Appa, everything should be alright.

As the bison flew away, Sokka expressed his doubts: this feuding tribe stuff was serious business and he wasn't sure getting involved in this was a good idea. And to tell the truth, Aang wasn't either. But then again, he had never been sure of anything. Katara put a hand on the boy's shoulder and reassured his brother. Aang was the Avatar, and making peace between people was his job.

"His job's gonna make us cross this whole thing on foot, isn't it?" The warrior slumped in despair. Then the canyon guide had bad news for everyone. No food was allowed in the canyon as it attracted dangerous predators. A dissatisfied cacophony rose from both tribes. The plump old man mocked them, calling them babies who could not go a day without food, and asked them if they'd rather be hungry... or dead. At this he raised a pillar of stone underneath him, and ten feet or more over the rest, cupping his hands to his mouth to amplify his voice, he warned everyone that they would be heading down in ten minutes, and before then all food better be in their gut, or in the garbage. The Zhang took various bits of food out of their tunics and began to eat sloppily... Contrary to the Gan Jin, who used their chopsticks before elegantly dabbing their lips once they were done.

When the preparations were finished, Appa took off with Chenlian, the sick and the elderly while everyone else went down a steep, switchback canyon path. When, suddenly, the procession stopped. A large chunk of the road was missing. The drop was hundreds of feet deep. With a grunt of effort, the guide earthbended blocks of stone to push outward from the cliff to repair the path in front of them. Aang complimented him on his earthbending. To which he replied that the job was much more than bending. Folks wanted stopped again and the canyon guide turned to address the crowd.

"Many of you are probably wondering how canyons are formed." He began in a slightly bored voice. "Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved into the ground by Earth Spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice." Katara and Sokka looked at each other, then gasp and looked up at the sound of rumbling. A rock slide was falling on them. They were bent away however, by the guide into the canyon below. "Guess the spirits are still angry! Hope you all brought sacrifices." The old man laughed. Once everyone was down on the canyon floor, he told them to stand clear of the wall and earthbended a nearby rock to destroy the bridge he had created earlier. When Aang asked why he had done that, he answered that these people were fleeing the Fire Nation, so he had to make sure we could not be followed. They were safe now. But just as the words fell from his lips, a massive insect shaped silhouette appeared in the dust behind him. A pincer emerged from the dust and picked up the guide who yelped in surprise. Aang airbended the dust away, revealing a huge, black insect like creature with four legs, red eyes, and a long thin mouth with teeth.

"We gotta help him!" Sokka yelled, throwing his boomerang. It struck the beast on the head making it drop its prey and rush at Sokka. The earthbender crashed with a thump in the underbrush while his savior ran for his life, the monster close behind. "Okay...now you gotta help me!" The courageous but not foolhardy warrior yelled, his tone having faded from strong and decisive to fearful. He ran over a rock outcropping. The creature followed over the outcropping as Sokka doubled back. Katara arrived and hit the monster with a water whip to little effect. It tried to bite her, but she lunged out of the way as Aang dropped onto the place she had been and shot a blast at the thing. It was blown backward, but charged again. With enough lead time before the creature reached him, the Avatar was able to create a tornado from the tip of his staff that caught the creature and threw it far up the cliff. Able to walk on the walls, the beast quickly hid in one of many crevices.

"What was that?!" Aang asked, terrified. Katara was kneeling over the distressed guide who was laid out flat on the ground.

"Canyon crawler. And there's sure to be more." The man managed despite the pain. As the waterbender remarked, his arms were broken, and without his arms, he got no bending, in other words...

"...we're trapped in this canyon." Aang finished, realizing, just like everyone, the horror of the situation they were in.

"I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like... canyon crawlers..." Sokka demanded as his sister finished binding the makeshift splints on their guide's broken limbs. The leader of the Gan Jins did not miss this chance to accuse the Zhangs of having brought food even after the guide told them not to. The opposing leader replied in kind as if anyone could not go without food for a day, it was the pampered Gan Jins. This pleasant conversation continued until the Avatar tried to tell them to work together. It failed, however, as he was rudely interrupted by the Zhang leader who refused to walk another step with the likes of the Gan Jins. Something the head of the Gan Jins agreed with. The boy turned to the guide for any idea.

"No bending. We need to get out of this canyon. I won't die down here! I won't become part of the food chain!" His eyes widened like a madman as hysteria took over his mind.

"See? We're going to become part of the food chain because of YOU!" The Gan Jin leader accused again.

"Sure. Unjustly blame the Zhangs like you ALWAYS do!" His counterpart retorted.

"Gladly!" The proper old man failed to comment on the 'unjustly' part. A blast of wind surprised everyone. The airbender was commanding attention.

"ENOUGH! I thought I could help you guys get along, but I guess that's not going to happen." The young monk affirmed angrily. He airbended himself on top of a steep promontory. "We should split up. Gan Jins on this side...and Zhangs on that side. We'll travel in two separate lines." The two tribes obeyed. Then, as his two friends approached, he told Sokka to go with the Zhangs and Katara to go with the Gan Jins to see if they could figure out why they hated each other so much. The siblings agreed and split up to follow their assigned tribe.

Everyone walked until dusk, when it was time to set up the camps. Sokka asked the Zhang leader whether they were going to put up their tarps, his previous argument with his sister weighing on his mind more than he would let on.

"What for? It's the dry season." The imposing woman replied as if stating the obvious.

"Exactly!" The boy agreed, releasing his pent-up frustration and glad that someone was finally on his side.

"Besides, we like to use the tarp as a blanket." She smiled at him.

"Finally, someone gets it!"

In the perfectly ordered Gan Jin camp, the refugees just finished setting the tarps over their pristine white tents. Katara asked the leader if he really thought it was going to rain. Her brother's arguments had also gotten to her more than she would admit.

"No, but you can never be too careful, right?"

The waterbender smiled at the old man, pleased with his response.

Later that night, around the campfire, the Gan Jin leader looked around and then produced some bread from underneath his robe and offered it to the girl. Katara gasped. Soon all the Gan Jins were eating food with their chopsticks. It was clear they had all violated the ban.

"Oh come now. You really think that tribe of thieves isn't smuggling food? Why should MY people go hungry when the sneaky Zhangs are stuffing their faces?"

"Well, I guess it's okay if everyone's doing it." The waterbender hesitated then accepted and ate a few bites. After all, they had not been attacked once after the guide had been injured. Had Chenlian been there she would have said it was not because others were doing it that they could too. If they really thought themselves better than the Zhangs, they really should not have brought food, thus they would have a clear conscience. Otherwise they would really be just pampered fools and just as sneaky and untrustworthy as the Zhangs. It was not that Chenlian had never been sneaky, far from that. With the world the way it was, sneakiness was a necessary skill in order to survive. But at least she had never knowingly and willingly put people other than herself in danger. Her upbringing had always been rigorous and all traces of pamperedness had vanished from her a long time ago. But she was not there. Katara turned toward the old leader and asked why his tribe hated the Zhangs so much.

"You seem like a smart girl, Katara. I bet you would enjoy hearing some history." The Gan Jin explained that the patriarch of their tribe, Jin Wei, had been an earthbender warrior assigned an important duty: transporting our sacred orb from the Great Eastern Gate to the Great Western Gate. Taking the orb from the east to the west represented the sun's rising and setting. It was their tribe's ancient redemption ritual... but as he has been approaching the gate, Jin Wei had been attacked by one of the Zhang! An envious vermin, named Wei Jin, a coward who had knocked Jin Wei to the ground and stolen their sacred orb. "Our people have never forgotten. You can never trust a Zhang." He finished, his tone and expression grim and unforgiving. The waterbender looked towards the Zhang camp, the features of her pretty sunkissed face now hard and suspicious.

In the Zhang camp, the female chief offered a leg of meat to Sokka who accepted without a second thought and began eating hungrily and happily.

"I know what you must be thinking. We're horrible for endangering everybody by bringing food down here." The portly woman acknowledged, looking sorry, but the boy was too busy stuffing himself to pay attention and merely grumbled a munching noise. "The Gan Jins think so badly of us they probably assumed we brought food in and decided to bring food in themselves. That's why we brought food in." There was still no proper response from Sokka. Chenlian would have said they were just as pampered as the Gan Jins. And they complained they were not trusted and always blamed unjustly? There should be a limit to foolishness and absurdity. To let that chance pass to actually prove themselves better and show the Gan Jins how wrong they were... that was really stupid indeed. But again, she was not here. "Our conflict with the Gan Jin goes back over a hundred years..." She narrated how their forefather, Wei Jin, had been leaving the western gate of their village when he had seen a man of the Gan Jin tribe, Jin Wei, collapsed on the ground. "Noble Wei Jin" had stopped to help him and the fallen man had told him that he was transporting a sacred orb, a very powerful relic used in his tribe's redemption ritual. Wei Jin had tried to tend to the man's wounds, but Jin Wei had insisted the orb was more important and asked him to take it back to his tribe. "Kind Wei Jin" had promised to send help for the man as soon as he could, but as Wei Jin had crossed the border to return the orb into Gan Jin territory he had been arrested and sentenced to twenty long years in prison instead of being thanked for his "kind and selfless deed". "We Zhang's will never forget that injustice." She finished, harsh and determined.

"That's just terrible." Sokka commented, having finished his leg. "You gonna finish that?" He asked, pointed at the meat in his interlocutor's hand. She took a bite in response and he slumped a bit, depressed.

Aang and Momo were looking down at the camps below, longing to be around one of those campfires, telling stories and laughing. The lemur chattered forlornly. The Avatar reassured him: they would be out of here soon enough and then they could eat our weight in leechy nuts. Momo caught a flying bug, hesitated, then offered it to Aang who turned him down, saying he would rather wait for the leechy nuts.

"If you want leechy nuts I have some here, although not enough to make your weight." A voice surprised him. He turned around to see Chenlian holding a box warped in a cloth. "And since I thought such a thing would happen, I have also brought some leftovers from our dinner for you, Momo, and your guide."

"What? But what about the canyon crawlers? And what about Appa and the Zhangs and Gan Jins you had taken across?" He was really glad to see her and have a little food but was still unsure.

"Don't worry, it should be alright as long as you eat it all now and don't leave anything. Carrying supplies for more would have been impractical and I doubt they need it anyway." She looked aside with obvious displeasure and slight scorn tinted with disappointment.

"What do you mean?"

"You should understand soon enough. Anyway, Appa left me off around here and went back to the others. We wanted to try leaving them alone for a time to see what would happen."

"How did things go? Did you find out why they hated each other?"

"Well... I left that part to Sokka and Katara and tried to make them get along. If I had focused on the reason of their hate, they would have too and that was what I wanted the least. It was not simple but I believe we've made ourselves clear... at least we managed to make them sit around the same campfire... and not be constantly at each other's throat." The young girl trailed off with a smile. She did not reveal she was a firebender as everyone would have refused the care they needed. No, the main problem had been their stubbornness. She had to divide chores like Aang had done. And though at first she had put up with everyone's whims and tried to do things gently for a few hours but she had ended up snapping and speaking her mind...

"Quit acting like spoiled brats! It's because you're so divided that the Fire Nation can sweep you out so easily! It's obvious that working together is much more efficient than being on your own. You'll never make it if you keep being stubborn and holding onto your vain pride. Are you wild dogs constantly at each other's throat!? Or are you civilized humans capable of showing intelligence by putting aside your differences and working together?! It's because people can't do everything alone that they form communities and ask for help. It's by acknoweledging and sharing the good sides that people grow." Such speech naturally led to complaints about her disrespectful attitude toward elders. "Respect? And what have you done, what have you said that would deserve respect? All you did was whine and yammer to no end. If they deserved it, I would treat a criminal or a homeless with more deference than a king, and if a king acted like the worst kind of trash, I would also treat it as such. But let me tell you one thing. There's no way people's opinions on you would change if you don't start by changing yourself." She had traced a line on the ground with her sheathed sword. "Now, if you're going to stay as you are and keep fighting like cats and dogs, go to this side and fight to the end of the world. Those of you who are capable of evolving and working together, come to this side. But if you do, I don't want to hear any whining or fighting. It's where you should all show what you're really made of!"Arms apart, hands on the pommel of her sword she had firmly planted on the ground in front of her, she had spoken with all the strength and authority her life of adversity had given her, like an adult chastising children.

But when she had helped and treated those people she was truly gentle. She saw even the ailments they tried to hide and had everyone organised according to their strength and abilities she would ask and/or deduce from the shape and state of their bodies. However, what she had done had only been a temporary measure. As long as the root of their hatred did not disappear they would end up fighting again. That was why all they could do was to leave things to Sokka and Katara. "Aang, don't forget that even if we are not always at your side, we will always support you and be with you. You are not alone. And even if you feel unsure about yourself you can see things like this: you trust us, we trust you, so you can trust yourself. Believe in your own power and in your own heart, as the Avatar, and as Aang, the last airbender. Don't worry, everything will be alright. I told you there can be light in the most unexpected places." She produced a flame she kept over her palm. How difficult it could be for people to think of a firebender as a friend and ally. And yet... "Also, don't try to think things out, you're not made for that. Your greatest weapon is that ingenuity and spontaneity of yours." Chenlian took a stick lying around, and lit it into a torch she gave to the airbender who accepted it. She smiled, giving him a 'light' tap on the back that still made him slouch forward. "Brighten up and be yourself."And with that she left to go back to her own camp.

"It's lonely, isn't it? Being impartial." A voice said. The Avatar jolted like a thief caught red-handed and turned to the canyon guide who had also come up from behind.

"I wish I could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible."

"You will not try to do as your friend said just now?"

"You saw her!?" Aang exclaimed, ready for anything.

"I must say you have the most peculiar but also the most reliable and trustworthy friends" The old man replied kindly, taking his share of the food she had brought. "And I must say she's also an excellent cook."

"She is, isn't she?" The airbender had expected anything but that, and indeed he had brightened up all the more. He didn't know whether it was the light and heat of the torch in this darkness or that firebender's words but he felt full of hope, energy, and determination again. "Anyhow, I guess our biggest problem is getting out of here."

"I'm not so sure the two problems are unrelated." The earthbender lied down next to the child, nodding off to sleep, as Aang looked away, sad, yet hopeful and determined to do his best.

The next morning, Aang and the guide were as usual standing on the ridge between the crevices, the two tribes continuing their trek on either side. The old earthbender informed them they were almost to the other side. The Avatar jumped down, although he was still on the rock separator. The people walked past him. He stopped Katara and Sokka who were at the rear of their respective tribe. He questioned them about whether those people could cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon.

"I don't think so, Aang, the Zhang's really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin We and stole the sacred orb." Katara answered, somewhat harshly.

"What are you talking about?" The airbender asked her.

"Yeah, Katara, what are you talking about?" Her brother agreed. "Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin."

"Not punished enough if you ask me!" The waterbender crossed her arms over her chest, which made her sibling utter angry, frustrated noises.

"Okay! Okay! I get it! Now I need your help. Let's get everyone together at the base of the canyon wall." Aang opened his glider and flew off to the end of the canyon where the two tribes were once again facing each other. He landed between them. They were arguing once again. He folded his glider up and addressed the crowd. "Please everyone! As soon as we get out of here we can eat, and then go our separate ways, but I need you all to put your heads together and figure out a way up this cliff."

"Maybe the Zhang can climb the walls with their long, disgusting fingernails."

"Oh, sorry! I forgot that to the Gan Jin, unclipped fingernails is a crime punishable by twenty years in jail!"

"Why you dirty thief!"

"You pompous fool!" The clans started taunting and arguing with each other again, this time joined by Katara and Sokka who had become partisans of their respective tribes.

"Guys! Focus! How many times do I have to say it? Harsh words won't solve problems, action will!" Aang reiterated what he had said to his friends earlier.

"Perhaps the Avatar is right." The Zhang leader began.

"Yes, perhaps he is." Her counterpart agreed. The Avatar smiled ear to ear, his eyes shining with hope and pride.

"Harsh words will never solve our problems..."

"...action will!" Both leaders drew their blades – a jian sword for the Gan Jin and a large and heavily curved sword for the Zhang – and approached each other. They crossed swords in front of Aang who recoiled with a cry of surprise and fear.

"To the death! And let this be the end of this rivalry!"

"You know, I take it back! Harsh words aren't so bad!" Aang nervously contradicted himself. The chiefs ignored him and began the fight in earnest, both being surprisingly nimble, agile and deft for their age or corpulence. After several feints and thrusts, they pushed each other apart. The Gan Jin's lower beard fell off, and so did one of the Zhang's short twin tails. They rushed at each other again, but as they met Aang brought his staff down, blowing the two sides backwards. He was breathing heavily, an unusual and savage expression on his face. He looked over to the Gan Jins on his left and his jaw dropped after seeing an open blanket whose content – food – had been spilt. One kicked the blanket cover back over some of the food. But it was already far too late. "Is that... food?" He exclaimed in disbelief. "Everyone smuggled food down here!?" He turned back to the Zhangs whose leader was bent and busy picking up their own spilt food. "UNBELIEVABLE! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day!? You are all...AWFUL!" He conveniently left aside the fact that – someone – had already expected all that and, taking pity upon him, had also brought him something to eat that he had not turned down.

And as if on cue, many canyon crawlers emerged simultaneously from the cliff wall, attracted by the scent of food. The monsters are soon upon them and the people fled. Katara and Sokka got behind the nearest rock. The girl fearfully complained that it was a lot of canyon crawlers. Her brother drew out his boomerang and just as fearfully commented they had barely survived one.

"They're coming back for me! They've had a taste, and they're coming back for me!" The guide walked backward in terror, his paranoia getting the best of him. Sokka moved to leave the shelter of the rock and attack, an expression of determination on his face, but he was grabbed by his sister.

"Sokka, wait! I don't care about this stupid feud! I just want us to get out of here alive."

"Me too. I only took their side because they fed me." He agreed, looking chagrined at having let his love for food take precedence over his love for his family. They both ran from behind the rock. Aang landed and airbended a gale at a wall of the insects to no effect. They charged, and leapt onto the boy like a cat onto a mouse. The monk jumped into the air just as they reached and blasted them away from each other as he fell back down. This stunned them momentarily, but they get back up. It was then that Chenlian suddenly landed at his side. She created a wall of flames to corner the beasts against the cliff, singeing them, scaring them, and made them hide back into their holes. But the others had dispersed. A general melee had started as the creatures were now attacking the clans. The Zhang leader forced one back with her curved sword until it caught the blade between its teeth and yanked it back. Katara water whipped another that was threatening two Gan Jins. A monster broke her whip, however, and she lost the water. Sokka was chased by a crawler, but he hit it with his boomerang. Chenlian protected another group of people by unleashing jets of fire at the monsters and like this she danced through the battlefield, releasing streams, balls and arches of fire at the canyon crawlers. Although they were all appalled to have a firebender here, nobody contested her presence. She was protecting them.

Aang airbended four more creatures out of his way and looked around to see that the crawlers have cornered small bands of people all over the place. Even though her firebending friend was doing her best, there were just too many of them and they were just too scattered and she was also scared of hitting people! The Avatar looked over to see a few crawlers chewing food, their heads inside the bags and suddenly shouted at everybody to watch him and imitate him. He raised a food bag, leapt toward the nearest bunch of crawlers and threw a piece at them. One of the monsters caught the aliment and ate it. The crawler ran to him, but he puts the bag over its snout and then catapulted himself onto its neck and used the bag straps as reigns. The two scattered tribes worked together, repeating the process to turn the beasts into riding mounts. Soon all the people had a canyon crawler mount. The Avatar yelled at everyone to follow him, they were riding out of this hole! Grinning evilly, Aang tied a bag at the end of his folded glider and waved it before its crawler, which turned around and started climbing. He was soon joined by the rest. As soon as he reached the top, he dismounted and told everyone to get off. They all obeyed. The canyon guide fell off his mount. The airbender threw the bag of food over the cliff and the crawlers chased after it. Everyone rejoiced. They had all overcome the ordeal and were now safe.

"I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that." The Zhang leader complimented her counterpart.

"And I never knew you Zhang's were so reliable in a pinch." The Gan Jin praised back.

"Perhaps we're not so different after all."

"Too bad we can't rewrite history." He drew his sword and pointed it at the Zhang head. "You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!"

"You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!" The woman unsheathed her own blade. Aang cried out and grabbed the side of his face in frustration before an idea lit it up.

"Wait a second! Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys!" The boy exclaimed. Naturally they did not believe him but he persisted. "No! I mean I really knew them. I may not look it, but I'm 112 years old. I was there a hundred years ago on the day you're talking about..." At this the leaders lowered their weapons as the Avatar told them what 'really' happened... that Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies but brothers, twins in fact, and they were eight, and most importantly, they were just playing a game! The sacred orb from the legend was the ball, and the eastern and western gates were the goal posts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Win Jei didn't steal the ball but picked it up and started running it back toward the other goal. But he stepped out of bounds so the official put him in the penalty box, not for twenty long years, but for two short minutes. "There was no stealing and no putting anyone in prison. Just a game."

"You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball?"

"Nope, just a regular ball."

"What about our tribe's redemption ritual?"

"That's what the game was called, Redemption. As soon as someone got the ball from one goal to the other everyone would yell, "redemption!" Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true, but they respected each others' differences enough to share the same playing field."

"I suppose it's time we forget the past..." The head of the Zhangs began.

"...and look to the future." The head of the Gan Jins finished, bowing to his counterpart who bowed in turn. Aang was smiling, just like Chenlian, who had her arms crossed, and the Water Tribe siblings.

Then the firebender went to fetch Appa and the elderly and sick. Aang immediately hugged his furry friend, asking if he had missed him. The bison generously licked him from knee to head, making him laugh.

"I cannot thank you enough, Avatar." The chief of the Gan Jins approached.

"Well, you know, I try." The airbender turned to him, drenched in Appa's saliva. The man shrank in horror from Aang's slobbery body. When he asked him about his friend Chenlian being a firebender, the Avatar smiled. Her presence at his side was another sign that things had begun to change. The Gan Jin then joined the Zhang leader who declared they would travel to the Earth Kingdom capital as one tribe. The crowd cheered and followed the leaders down the path.

"I'm goin' too! I'm sick of this place!" The canyon guide resigned and ran after them.

"That's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin." Sokka commented. Aang smiled.

"You could call it luck." He then grinned evilly. "Or, you could call it... lying!"

Katara was shocked, and her brother angry. The child sheepishly told them he had made the whole thing up.

"You did not!" The waterbender began in disbelief before her expression turned to devilish admiration. "That is sooo wrong."

"That is sooo stupid... and those guys were the stupidest ones for having actually believed it. If they'd just stop to think, they'd see the loopholes in your bluff." She had spoken with her usual contempt and aloofness but there was something in her expression that made her friends smile.

"But everything ended well, right?"

"Well... yeah." She wasn't fond of lies but it was ok. Aang had found the best way to solve this issue quickly and peacefully. Thanks to him these tribes would together build a brighter future. She believed that if it was him, he could unite this world's nations under a single banner and bring peace not to a few dozens of people but hundreds of thousands.


	16. Disturbances

**Fight****16: Disturbances **

Aang was shaking Appa's reigns, smiling. On his left, Sokka was flying gracefully on Aang's glider and smiling back at him. As a shadow was cast over him, he looked up to see Guang slithering above him, Chenlian mounted on his neck. On his right, Katara was flying on an enormous version of Momo.

"We need you, Aang." She said after waving at him.

"I need you too." He replied, smiling at her. He turned from her to look straight ahead in alarm. A huge, black storm cloud had gathered ahead. He recoiled.

"Be careful guys! Guys?" He looked around and was shocked to discover they had all disappeared. He reported his attention to the menacing clouds ahead when, suddenly, a cross-legged Gyatso dropped from the top and rested hovering in mid-air in front of him. He uttered his mentor's name in surprise.

"Why did you disappear?"

"I didn't mean to." But as the boy leant forward to touch his old master, Gyatso turned grey as ash and was blown away like smoke starting from the head down until he was completely gone.

"We need you, Aang." The bodyless voice echoed again as the Avatar entered the humongous storm cloud. Lightning was rending the disturbed sky and rain was pouring down. Aang screamed as he held onto Appa's reins for his life. The child and the animal fell into the sea like they had done a century ago. The boy let go and began to drift away in the dark waters.

"We need you, Aang. We need you. We need you, Aang. We need you." Many voices chanted as if they came from the abyss. And for a second, visible in the afterglow of a lightning strike, the silhouette of a muscular man appeared, wreathed in flames, and coiffed with the symbol of the Fire Nation.

Aang woke up with a start. It was still night at their most recent camp. He disturbed Momo, who was sleeping on his belly, and in his 'escape', Momo jumped on Katara and Sokka waking them up. Sokka, ready with his knife and boomerang, was groggily wondering if they were being captured again. Chenlian had escaped being jumped on as she had been on Aang's other side. But the noise had nonetheless woken her up too. The monk replied it was nothing, just a bad dream, and told his friends to go back to sleep. Sokka didn't need to be told twice and rolled over. Aang returned to his foetal position, a pained look on his youthful face. Katara was still worried, however, as he had had a lot of nightmares lately and gently offered to talk about it. The boy reassured her saying he just needed some rest. The two female benders looked at each other. He was obviously lying.

"You guys want to hear about my dream?" Sokka chirped, sitting up suddenly, all excited. But then he lied back down, depressed, before the girls' dark looks. "That's ok, I didn't wanna talk about it anyway." They turned their attention back to Aang. If the burden was so heavy that he would keep having nightmares, then he should share it. They would never think any less of him because of it or the reason behind his nightmares. The boy, however, still insisted that he was alright. Evidently, he did not want to talk about it. But it was fine. They would wait for him until he was ready. And everyone fell back asleep more or less easily.

The next morning, the waves were rolling, Appa was yawning and Katara packing things on the beach. Sokka was arranging things at the back of the saddle while Aang was sitting atop the bison's head. The airbender happily noted how clear the skies were and expected some smooth flying. Standing in the middle of the saddle, waiting for Katara to throw her the bags, Chenlian apprehensively watched the birds cawing and flying in a V formation as if they were fleeing and inhaled deeply. There was a heavy stillness in the air, as if she was watching the deceptively calm surface of a river, belying the tumultuous currents inside. And she felt that soon, that river would become rapids. The breeze was very tiny but when it would blow she could feel the temperatures had decreased and the humidity increased. She disagreed with Aang. After so much time in the wild, you learn to pick up every little sign of change in everything, people, animals, weather or nature. The waterbender examined the empty food bag and dropped the crumbs on the sand. Momo jumped at her feet to pick them.

"Well, we better smoothly fly ourselves to a market, 'cause we're out of food." She stepped on Appa's tail which slowly lifted as she continued walking up to the saddle.

"And then smoothly fly ourselves to a shelter before that big storm arrives. And also, we don't have much money left." The firebender added.

"Guys, wait." Sokka stopped everyone. "This was in my dream, we shouldn't go to the market." His sister asked what had happened in his dream. "Food eats people!" He answered, his eyes bugged out in fright, and making a weird grimace. His friends stared at him blankly and shook their heads at his usual nonsense. "Also, Momo could talk. You said some very unkind things." He turned to the lemur that lowered his ears and chattered cluelessly.

The same flock of birds flew by Prince Zuko's ship. On the main deck, Iroh deeply breathed in and frowned. Behind him, his nephew was looking through a telescope. The old man warned him that a big storm was coming but he could not believe him: the weather was perfect. There was not a cloud in sight. The retired general insisted that a storm was approaching from the north and they should alter their course and head southwest. But again, the prince would not listen. The Avatar was travelling northward so so would they. Iroh begged him to consider the safety of the crew, which only enraged the teen.

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!" Zuko burst out before noticing the arrival of a crewmember who had clearly heard that disobliging remark and did not seem very happy about it. Realizing this, the prince's expression turned from concern to defiance as he walked to his lieutenant until his face was right to his. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." He spoke more calmly and in a contained manner before going back into the ship. Iroh approached the lieutenant and, without much success, attempted to smooth the angles saying his nephew did not mean that, he was just all worked up.

As soon as they arrived at the market, Chenlian went her own way to get some money and left the others to buy what was needed with the money they had left. She installed herself in the most crowded part and played the pipa and sang.

While shopping Sokka tried to leave innocently and without paying with a basket of fruits and the disagreeable old female shopkeeper took the basket and kicked his butt, rendering them without food or money. Katara suggested that he took a job and just at that moment they heard that old fisherman arguing with his wife. She wanted to stop him from going out at sea as there was a storm coming. He called her crazy since there was no cloud or wind and told her to quit her nagging. At this, Aang had also hoped they would find some shelter. First Chenlian, and now that woman... But Sokka was of the same opinion as the fisherman. The old woman insisted that there would be a storm, her joints were telling her so. Her husband replied that it was her joints against his brain, to what she retorted she hoped his brain could find someone else to haul that fish, cause she was not going. The stubborn old man riposted that he would find a new fish hauler and pay him double what she got. Sokka jumped on the occasion and was immediately hired.

"What? You said 'get a job' and he's paying double." The boy justified himself before the looks his friends were giving him. "Besides I can't let such a task as 'earning money' all to a girl. What will we do if Chenlian fails, huh?" Although the truth was that he just wanted to earn more than her. He was a man, if he could not beat her in a fight then at least in such situations... The two benders shook their heads again. That was Sokka after all.

"Double? Who told ya that nonsense?" The fisherman looked at the water tribesman as if he were an alien.

At sea, the storm Chenlian, Iroh, and the old woman had foretold was taking shape... a storm so large that its ominous black clouds hid the horizon. And Zuko's ship, which was at the edge of the still growing perturbance, was headed right into it. From the deck, Zuko, Iroh, and four crewmen, including Lieutenant Jee, were looking at the disturbed sky with apprehension.

"Uh! Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all." The lieutenant crossed his arms over his chest, a mocking edge in his tone. Iroh tried to defuse the conflict saying it was a lucky guess.

"Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect, or I will teach it to you." The prince walked over to his insolent subordinate and threatened him, pointing two fingers at his chest, the atmosthere between them as menacing as the sky. Zuko walked away but the lieutenant could no longer contain his contempt for the Prince.

"What do you know about respect? The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard working crew to your esteemed uncle shows you know nothing about respect. You don't care about anyone but yourself! Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?" As he spoke, Iroh was behind him, making decapitation motions with his hand him, hoping he would look back so he could signify him it was too dangerous to continue like this. The retired general knew his nephew was too stubborn to listen to anyone and could only apologise after he had realized his mistake. But the opponent was an adult! And one he had handpicked too! Adults should stay calm and level headed! But it was really no use! Zuko stopped in mid step. Iroh sighed and put his hand over his face, resigning himself to the brewing disaster. By the end of the tirade, Prince Zuko's eyebrow was twitching. He had clearly been stung by the accusations. He turned and assumed a firebending stance, his subaltern did the same. Once more, Iroh failed to calm them. Zuko and the Lieutenant's hands crossed at the wrists. The ritual of combat had begun. Their arms forced against the other in this contest for submission. Steel rasped against steel and smoke rose in curls from the point of contact. Iroh appeared between them and broke them apart.

"Enough! We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long. I'm sure after a bowl of noodles everyone will feel much better." He smirked at them. The prince and the lieutenant glared at each other a moment longer, then both turned and walked away in opposite directions. The old man joined his nephew.

"I don't need your help keeping order on my ship." The teen told him sharply. Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder, but was rudely shoved off. Zuko walked to the bow.

Two hours after their separation, Chenlian arrived at the pier. Of course since the place was small it was not a great fortune but it should be enough for now. Chenlian found the trio at the pier just when an old woman said the boy with the tattoos was right and he – her husband – should listen to him. The firebender soon learnt about Sokka getting a job as fish hauler – and how it came to be – and how Aang and the old woman had tried to convince them not to go... in vain as the fisherman was too stubborn and Sokka had given his word and would not back out because of some bad weather. They were storing boxes on the ship. The old recognized the airbender tattoos and deduced Aang was the Avatar. Aang and Katara confirmed with a smile but it was short-lived as this declaration was not met with the reaction of joy and relief they had grown to expect.

"Well don't be so smiley about it. The Avatar disappeared for a hundred years." He jabbed the child's chest with an accusing finger. "You turned your back on the world!"

"Don't yell at him! Aang would never turn his back on anyone!" Katara stomped angrily.

"Oh? He wouldn't, uh? Then I guess I must have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering." The elder retorted cynically. Chenlian, who had silently approached, attentively watched the airbender's face. Guilt, fear, regrets seemed to be welling up inside him like dark clouds.

"Aang is the bravest person I know! He has done nothing but help people and save lives since I met him. It's not his fault he disappeared, right Aang? Aang? What's wrong?" Irate, the waterbender had stepped between her friend and the fisherman. And the more she had praised the Avatar, the uglier the latter had felt deep inside. She was wrong, he was not the one she – the girl he liked – had made him out to be. He was not strong or great. And while Katara was telling the old man off, the fearful little boy had backed up, unable to withstand the pressure, opened his glider and fled toward the mountains.

"That's right! Keep flyin!" The fisherman interjected contemptuously. What could such a coward do? What was he worth? The waterbender called him a horrible old man but he did not care. She mounted Appa. Chenlian was already on the driver's seat, and at her command, the bison took off, drenching the old man. Sokka emerged from the hold just as the old man shook off the excess water.

"Hey, they left without saying goodbye!"

"Your friends ain't too polite, are they?"

"I know! This one time I was-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, get below deck."

Appa was skirting a mountain face at high speed under a pouring rain. The two female benders were shielding their eyes and searching for Aang in the rain when they noticed a cave in the rock face with an exposed platform and a stone path leading up to it. They entered, wiping the water off their sleeves. She stands still, seeing something in front of her. Aang was sitting with his hands in his lap, looking downcast. He would not even turn to look at them.

"I'm sorry for running away."

"It's ok. That fisherman was way out of line." The waterbender reassured him.

"Actually he wasn't, was he?" Chenlian asked. Aang nodded, confirming her suspicions.

"What do you mean?" Katara inquired. But the boy did not want to talk about it.

"It has to do with your dream, doesn't it?" The firebender surmised again. For someone as strongly linked to the spiritual as the Avatar, dreams often had a signification. Her female friend knelt by the Aang's side and asked him to talk with them. The boy replied it was kind of a long story. Suddenly, Momo ran back, chittering, and Appa's nose and bangs appeared behind them. The bison affectionately nudged Aang with his snout. His fur was literally dripping wet. Katara and Chenlian smiled and started a fire.

"I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar." The airbender began.

He was playing with the other kids and trying to teach them how to do the air scooter when the five senior monks – Gyatso among them – had come and summoned him. These five were the Monk Council of the Southern Air Temple. They went to a chamber where they sat down cross-legged at their respective seats. The middle monk's stool rested under an ornate parasol; he was likely the leader or abbot of the monastery.

"How do you know it's me?"

"We have known you were the Avatar for some time. Do you remember these?" One of the elders revealed a rolled up package, which he airbended over to Aang. It landed in front of him and rolled open. Inside were four children's toys. On the left was a little toy turtle. Second from the left was a propeller toy. Third from the left was a little monkey or donkey. The fourth was a Japanese drum toy. The boy recognized those as his favorite toys when he was a kid. "You chose them from among thousands of toys, Aang. The toys you picked were the four Avatar relics. These items belonged to Avatars past. Your own past lives." The Council member continued gravely.

"I just chose them because they seemed fun." Aang contradicted him. He was not thinking or feeling anything as grand as what they were saying. He smiled and began to play with the propeller.

"You chose them because they were familiar."

"Normally we would have told you of your identity when you turned 16, but there are troubling signs, storm clouds are gathering." Gyatso explained, justifying what they were doing.

"I fear that war may be upon us, young Avatar." The Abbot announced.

"We need you, Aang." Gyatso said, gently. Aang lowered his head, his responsibility crushing him. Just like his head was still lowered even now, in this cave, with a storm raging outside.

While in the storm, somewhere on Zuko's ship, his face bathed in firelight, drink in hand, Lieutenant Jee was loudly complaining about Zuko to his fellow crewmembers... he was sick of taking his orders and tired of chasing his Avatar.

"I mean who does Zuko think he is?" He continued, punctuating his ranting with wide gestures.

"Do you really want to know?" Iroh answered the rhetoric question, surprising all those present as he stepped into view. The Lieutenant and the three other crewmen at the fire barrel bolted upright in respect.

"General Iroh! We were just-"

"It's ok." The retired general lifted his hand in peace. "May I join you?"

"Of course, sir!" Contrary to his nephew, Iroh was quite popular. The old man approached and sat down with the men. He stroked his beard and began to speak.

"Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much..."

Years ago... Zuko did not have his scar then, but still the same determined expression that turned into an angry one when he failed to get what he wanted: the guards would not let him into the war chamber. Iroh arrived, comfortingly took him by the shoulders and asked him what was wrong. The boy explained, clearly disappointed, his voice breaking slightly at the end. The general Iroh led him a short distance away from the guards and knowing his nephew's personality, tried to dissuade him saying he was not missing anything as these meetings were dreadfully boring.

"If I'm gonna rule this nation one day, don't you think I need to start learning as much as I can?" Zuko looked up at his uncle with a fresh and bright smile and even brighter eyes. Iroh gave in, with the boy's promise that he must not speak, since "these old folks" were a bit sensitive.

"Thank you uncle!" The young crown prince bowed gratefully before suddenly looking down, a poignantly sad and pained expression on his handsome face. "So things like that can never happen again..." For a time he looked as if he were about to cry. Iroh instantly guessed who he was talking about. Although his nephew was easily moved, a very preciously few people could move him to that extent. Just one month prior, Chenlian, after one year on the run, had been caught at last and put to jail. One year ago, her parents had been exiled after a rumor that they were attempting a coup d'etat by using their daughter's talent and closeness to the royal family while 'out of consideration for his children's feelings for the girl', Chenlian was only to be imprisoned under careful watch. But she had escaped and had only been caught again recently. Iroh had never believed any of it but Zuko was impressionable. And while he certainly did not want to believe such things either, his father held too much of an influence on him, rendering him incapable of doubting him. Before that incident, each time Chenlian's name was mentioned he would strain his ears, and each time he would see her, such a beaming smile could be seen on his face. But now, his feelings for her only made him more confused, sad, hurt, and torn, although this degree was nothing compared to what he would feel years later...

The general patted his nephew on his back and they walked past the guards who did not stop them. They entered the temple-like chamber, with a throne on a dais, wreathed in fire. The back wall was occupied by a huge dragon represented in sculptural relief. The war council was in session. Under the Fire Lord's watch, Fire Nation generals were sitting around a map of the Earth Kingdom continent that adorned the floor.

"The Earth Kingdom defenses are concentrated here." One reported. "A dangerous battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors, so I am recommending the 41st division."

"But the 41st is entirely new recruits. How do you expect them to defeat a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion?" An old officer pointed out.

"I don't." The first one replied coldly. "They'll be used as a distraction while we mount an attack from the rear. What better to use as bait then fresh meat?" He smiled cruelly.

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?" Zuko shouted, jumping on his feet, abashed and outraged by what he was hearing. The generals looked at him, clearly disapproving of his outburst.

"Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out, and there were dire consequences." Iroh told his crew members in the present time, lowering his head in sadness at the memory.

In the cave, around the fire, Katara asked Aang why he had been upset – and not excited – about being the Avatar. In fact, it was that he did not know how to feel about it. All he knew was that after he found out, everything began changing. Although they were sad and felt sincerely sorry about it, his friends and fellow pupils felt they could not let Aang play with them anymore because having the Avatar would be too much of an advantage for whatever team he would be on. Although he tried to tell them he had not changed, that he was still the same, nothing would do. So he'd put on a fake smile, say it was ok, and leave under the regretful stares of his fellow airbenders.

Later, Aang and Gyatso were playing Pai Sho again. The boy appeared sad and absentminded. He wanted to play and have fun with his friends too, with people his age...

"Very interesting move, young one." Gyatso commented thoughtfully. Aang asked what he meant. Behind his back, the Elder Monk bended the air in an arch over his head and behind Aang and blew the child's hood up over his face, giving the Gyatso time to switch a few pieces before Aang could remove the hood. The boy was not fooled, however, and both laughed heartily before the door suddenly opened to reveal one of the other monk elders who was obviously dissatisfied with what he was seeing.

"You're playing games with him? The Avatar should be training."

"Aang has already trained enough for today." Gyatso disagreed.

"Time is short. Come with me. I must test you on some high level techniques." The other ordered. Aang stood up and began to follow the Elder out of the room. Monk Gyatso then raised his hand in a gesture of cessation.

"No, as long as I am his guardian, I will decide when he trains and when he gets his butt kicked at Pai Sho."

"Humph!" The Elder Monk stalked off angrily as Aang turned to smile at his master.

Iroh told the crew members that after Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him, and that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect. And as Lieutenant Jee had guessed, the only way to solve this was an Agni Kai, a fire duel. Zuko had declared that he was not afraid of the general he had insulted... but he had misunderstood.

"When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the General. Zuko had spoken out against a general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."

The crown prince was in a rectangular arena with a large crowd on either side. His ceremonial cloth dropped to the floor as he stood up, exposing his bare chest. He turned to face his opponent, and, recognizing him, froze in horror and anguish, tears swelling in his eyes.

"Then, just when I was starting to feel better, something worse happened." Aang told Katara and Chenlian.

Gyatso had been summoned by the Abbot at the request of the monk who had come earlier to disrupt the pai sho game. Gyatso was trying to convince the Abbot that Aang needed to have freedom and fun, and to grow up as a normal boy. The other Elder snorted, saying that he could not keep protecting him from his destiny.

"Gyatso, I know you mean well, but you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment."

"All I want is what is best for him."

"But what we **_need_** is what's best for the world. You and Aang must be separated. The Avatar will be sent away to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training."

Gyatso bowed, unaware that Aang had been eavesdropping through a hole in the ceiling, alarmed and distraught.

"That's awful, Aang. I don't know what to say." Katara said sympathetically. She tried to put her hand on Aang's shoulder, but he got up, angry.

"How could they do that to me! They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" His Avatar spirit began to activate, the arrow tattoos on his body started glowing and the energy shell seen in the Southern Air Temple formed around him, his tempestuous feelings echoing tempest outside. The wind made the fire swirl and cinders fly out. Katara cried out while dodging. Chenlian was not saying anything, not moving an inch, and her amber eyes were fixed onto the fire. The cinders had not flown at her. But she was listening attentively. The cry seemed to have made Aang snap out of it. He calmed down, his Avatar spirit receding, and apologised. But the waterbender was not mad at him for lashing out. On the contrary, she understood why he would be so angry after the monks sent him away like that. However, it was not what had happened... And the boy, downcast and guilty, continued his tale.

Watching from the window of his room his fellow monks in training playing with air scooters, longing to join them, play with them, be like them again, he became afraid and confused, not knowing what to do...

And later that night, when Gyatso would enter Aang's bedroom, intent on not letting the others take him away from him, it would be to find the boy gone with only a rolled up scroll on the bed. And after reading the letter, he grew even more concerned for his beloved student's safety as he looked at the storm raging outside. At this time Aang did not know that he would never see Gyatso again. And then, the boy and his bison, unable to navigate in the wild and violent winds, fell into the sea. In order not to drown, Aang's Avatar spirit activated, encasing them both in the ice.

"Next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms after you found me in the iceberg." The Avatar child looked vacantly across the fire, with that same guilty expression.

"You ran away." Katara stated, with no hint of judgement in her tone.

"And then the Fire Nation attacked our temple. My people needed me and I wasn't there to help!"

"You don't know what would've-" The waterbender began.

"The world needed me and I wasn't there to help!"

"Aang-"

"The fisherman was right! I did turn my back on the world!"

"You're being too hard on yourself. Even if you did run away, I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed you would have been killed along with all the other airbenders." The brown-haired girl said softly, kindly, and reassuringly.

"You don't know that." The boy retorted, still not convinced.

"It's true, we don't know." The firebender asserted brusquely.

"Chenlian!" Katara exclaimed, incredulous and irritated at her friend's apparent lack of tact.

"We don't know and we can't know. It is impossible to know or do anything about what could have been. So there is no need for us to concern ourselves about it. And I don't think they would have wanted us to. We are alive, and we are here. So don't you think we should concentrate on what we can do now?" Chenlian said with a sweet, soothing, understanding and yet sad smile. Aang looked up at her. That was right. Despite the way she acted and what she would say, it was impossible for Chenlian not to have or have had regrets about the past. Both had regrets, both had been unable to protect their families, but they had to overcome them. _"The only mistake they made was telling you before you turned sixteen. But we can't concern ourselves with what __**was**__. We must act on what __**is**__." _ The light of hope appeared back on the child's face. Katara smiled too, reassured. She had jumped on conclusions again. Despite her manners, Chenlian cared greatly about Aang, and she knew how to directly address people's hearts...

"I know it's meant to be this way. The world needs you now, Aang. You give people hope." The waterbender added. And slowly, smile and hope spread more and more over his face. Chittering, Momo returned to Aang who petted him affectionately and gratefully.

"When Prince Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to duel him, he begged for mercy..." Iroh continued his story in the fire lit chamber of his nephew's ship...

"Please, father, I only had the fire nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" The young Zuko apologised from his heart as the massive and towering form of his father was closing in on him.

"You will fight for your honor."

"I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son." The crying child knelt as low as he could.

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"

"I won't fight you."

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." The Fire Lord was now standing a few feet away, as the Prince raised his tear filled face to his father. And the spectators – mostly military personel – watched on. Among them was a maliciously grinning Captain Zhao, General Iroh looking fearful for his nephew, and a cruelly smiling young girl in a soldier's uniform who was clearly hoping for the worst to befall the boy on the arena. She was raising her left fist in anticipation of the disgrace her brother was undergoing. Iroh looked away in despair, but could not block his nephew's heart-rending scream of anguish and excruciating pain that would keep resonating in his head even now as his younger brother permanently burned a stigma of shame and infamy on the left side of his own son's face.

"I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident." Lieutenant Jee commented, abashed.

"It was no accident. After the duel, the Fire Lord said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honor."

"So that's why he's so obsessed. Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

"Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope."

In his own chamber, Zuko was sitting alone in the darkness, except for the flame on the altar in front of him. He too, was remembering the past, the happy times on Ember Island when he, his little sister were running across the crest of a hillside, laughing, followed by their father, and when his father would put his large hand on his shoulder. How blessed and proud he was then, to be his father's son, before he was branded. Just how hapless he looked now... the scar did not disfigure his appearance nearly as much as his soul. And that mark showed on his face much more than his scar. Suddenly, Zuko turned his head as he heard lighting striking the bridge.

The old fish hauler woman from the docks ran into the caves, crying for help. Katara rushed to her, reassuring her that she was safe. However, she wasn't talking about herself, but her husband. The brown haired girl asked what she meant and where Sokka was. The elder answered that they haven't returned. They should've been back by now, and this storm was becoming a typhoon. They were caught out at sea. Aang stood and resolutely declared he was going to find them.

"I'm going with you." The two female benders decided in the same time.

"I'm staying here!" The old woman sat down, her expression clearly showing she was no fool to go risking her life in this storm at her age. Aang promised her they would be back soon and Appa flew away with the airbender, the waterbender, and the firebender on his back.

On Zuko's ship which was battling the waves, Zuko and the Lieutenant, just like everyone else, were struggling to stay upright on the ship's main deck, the rain and ocean water not giving them a second's rest. Zuko asked where they were hit but his subordinate didn't know. Iroh pointed at the bridge tower where a crewman was hanging off some of the rigging. The prince noticed it was the helmsman and began to climb the external ladder up to the bridge area, the lieutenant behind him. On the deck, Iroh sensed something, and lighting struck, but the retired general bended the lightning through his body, away from the men trying to rescue the helmsman and forced it to strike open water, leaving him smoking and looking confused, but otherwise undamaged. The helmsman finally let go with a cry, before his wrist was caught by Zuko and the lieutenant helped him against the ladder. The officer smiled at the exiled prince who smiled back at him.

Aang, Katara, and Chenlian were still lokking for Sokka and the fisherman when the Avatar saw a massive wall of water up ahead. Appa could not pull up in time, but they busted through its crest with a combination of the bison's strength and the boy's airbending skills. In the distance they noticed a small boat, silhouetted by lighting strikes and hurried to it. However, Appa could be clearly seen by Zuko, Iroh and Jee...

"The Avatar!" The banished Prince exclaimed, his desire to give chase evivent on his face. The lieutenant asked what he wanted to do. Zuko paused to consider, and restraining his initial impulse, decided to let him go. They needed to get this ship to safety.

"Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm." Iroh advised gravely before a light smile curved his lips, satisfied and proud of his nephew's decision.

Sokka and the fisherman were struggling to pilot the fishing boat. The boy was crying that he was too young to die and the old man that he was not but still didn't wanna. Appa flew in close and Aang and Chenlian jumped onto the boat. Lighting struck the main mast, breaking off. Before it could hit anyone, the firebender burned it to ashes. The gold glow of her eyes receeded. The two benders attached Sokka and the fisherman with the rope they were holding and told them to hold onto it. They bended themselves back onto Appa, pulling Sokka and the old man with them. Both landed safely on the saddle, the old man spitting out some water and smiling sheepishly. Behind them a shadow appeared and the sound of rushing water was heard. A huge wave was building up behind them, much larger than even the one before. Appa tried to escape, but the wave was too fast, and they were submerged. In a scene that was eerily similar to the one where he had frozen himself, Aang drifted away from Appa and his friends in the water. His avatar spirit triggered, he surrounded himself and his friends with a ball of energy and raised them back up out of the water and into the sky.

Zuko and his crew had reached the eye of the storm, where the wind had died down and the downpour reduced to a light drizzle.

"Uncle, I am sorry." The teen apologized sincerely and ruefully.

"Your apology is accepted." Iroh smiled, putting a comforting hand on his nephew's shoulder... just when the Avatar's bubble of energy erupted from the sea in a boiling blue mass in front of the prow and rocketed into the air. Aang and Chenlian looked back at the ship, at Zuko who stared back at them until they disappeared from his view.

Appa landed on the parapet outside the cave where Aang had told Katara and Chenlian his story. The old couple embraced each other.

"Oh, you're alive!" The relieved woman exclaimed. Then her voice turned sour and she pointed at Aang. "You owe this boy an apology."

"He doesn't have to apologize." Aang disagreed.

"Mmm, uh, what if instead of an apology I give him a free fish and we call it even?"

"Actually, I don't eat meat."

"Fish ain't meat."

"Seriously, you're still gonna pay me, right?" Sokka held out his hand into which the old man dropped a fish with a wet smacking sound. The boy made a frightened sound.

The Avatar turned to the girls and told them he thought they were right. He was done dwelling on the past. The girls were reassured. Aang couldn't make guesses about how things would have turned out if he hadn't run away. He was here now and he was going to make the most of it. They smiled. To their opinion, he was no longer gonna have those nightmares anymore. The old fisherman put his hand on Aang's shoulder.

"Uh, if you weren't here now, well, I guess I wouldn't be either. Thank you for saving my life, Avatar." He expressed his gratitude before at the cave entrance Sokka remarked it had stopped raining. The sun was starting to break through. Appa shook himself off, drenching everyone. They all yelped in surprise and moved away, yelling the bison's name who grunted, not feeling the least bit sorry...


	17. When the masks slip

**Fight****17: When the masks slip**

A red messenger hawk was flying through the night to the Pohuai Stronghold. This Fire Nation fortress was located in the northwestern Earth Kingdom. It was an imposing structure made up of three rings of defense, consisting of high walls connecting turrets and surrounding a massive pagoda tower in the center of the base. It housed its own prisons and was a major supply depot for the Fire Nation armies where soldiers and firebenders trained before they were deployed into battle and notably to the Earth Kingdom Capital, Ba Sing Se. All turrets were manned and had fires burning at their top. The fortress was built against a mountain and was flanked by a sea inlet were Fire Nation ships were moored.

It was in this stronghold that fierce looking archers, their faces painted, were training, or demonstrating their all too impressive skills to their commanding officer Colonel Shinu's guest. They released volley after volley of arrows which all hit their range targets dead center. Successive arrows split the one already occupying the bullseye right down the middle of its shaft.

"Absolutely not. The Yu Yan archers stay here. Your request is denied Commander Zhao." The Colonel Shinu asserted firmly. Zhao asked him to reconsider. Their precision was legendary. They could pin a fly to a tree from a hundred yards away without killing it. Using them as mere security guards was wasting their talent! This plea fell on deaf ears, however, as the stronghold's master was VERY possessive of his archers.

"But my search for the Avatar is-"

"-Is nothing but a vanity project! We're fighting a real war here and I need every man I've got, Commander." At this, Zhao tried to protest again, but the Colonel would not hear any of it... until a red messenger hawk landed on his arm. It was a message from Fire Lord Ozai. He read it with horror before handing it to the Commander who had approached from behind.

"It appears I've been promoted to Admiral. My request... is now an order." He smiled smugly as Shinu reluctantly bowed and left while he stayed to continue watching the archers' prowesses... unaware that his conversation had been overhead by a figure with a blue mask sitting atop the tower and now leaving stealthily.

A hillside strewn with broken boulders... dawn was approaching, but the sky was cloudy so it was still quite dark. And lightly uphill were the ruins of the once great city of Taku. Prior to the Hundred Year War, the city had been an important center of commerce; however, it was destroyed by the Fire Nation during the first wave of attacks due to its strategic location and importance to the Earth Kingdom. Now it was just a ghost town with overgrown vegetation. It was there that the Avatar and his companions had chosen to rest... especially because they had a sick person. Sokka was in his sleeping bag (looking very much like a giant blue caterpillar) propped against Appa's warm body. The boy was coughing, sweating, shivering, and highly feverish. Chenlian had hastily made a fire and left with Aang to look for anything that could heal him. Her remedies had only managed to temporarily alleviate the symptoms. Usually it was enough since she took medicine at the first appearance of the symptoms. However, sokka had decided to act strong and refused her help, saying his sturdy self wouldn't lose to the like of a little cough... hence this result. Meantime Katara was wiping her brother's forehead with a wet cloth, saying this should bring his fever down. Momo was with her.

"You know what I love about Appa the most? His sense of humor." Sokka hallucinated.

"That's nice. I'll tell him." His baby sis replied compliantly. Appa grunted in response.

"Classic Appa." The patient laughed. Aang walked over, asking how he was doing. And as the waterbender said, he was not so good. Being out in that storm had really done a number on him. The Water Tribe warrior snorted back his runny nose. The Avatar had not been able to find any ginger root (widely believed to relieve the symptoms of the common cold, flu, and headaches) for the tea but he had found a map showing the location of an herbalist institute that was on a nearby mountain. They might have a cure for Sokka in there. It was then that Chenlian came back. She did not have any more luck. That said, Sokka was in no condition to travel. Katara thought he just needed some rest and would be back on his feet the next day but Aang and Chenlian doubted it. And then the waterbender began to cough too...

"Not you too!"

"Relax, it was just a little cough. I'm fine-" Katara cut herself off with more coughing; forcing the monk to shield himself with his arms from her violent fit. The mahogany-haired girl did not shield herself but had already arranged her scarf to cover her nose and mouth like a mask.

"That's how Sokka started yesterday. Now look at him he thinks he's an earthbender!" Aang argued, gesturing at Sokka who was swinging at something that wasn't there and saying "Take that, you rock!". A few more hours and Katara would be talking nonsense too. There was no choice left but to go find medicine. The airbender opened his glider but changed his mind after a flash of lightning illuminated the sky.

"Aang, you're fastest one on foot so I'm leaving it to you but be careful." Chenlian took the glider he had handed her, a faint worried edge in her tone and eyes.

"Okay. I'm leaving _them_ to you but be careful too. I don't want to be the only sane one left."

"That would be the most worrisome situation indeed." The firebender agreed, half joking, half serious.

"Hey, that's mean! But true. Well, I'm going. Take care!"

"You too!" Chenlian yelled back. Appa grunted his agreement, and Sokka laughed and made another delirious comment. Aang turned and launched himself into the air, landing far down the hill the temple sits on before zooming away at high speed, using his airbending to accelerate his running speed.

While in the exiled prince's ship, Zuko and Jee were studying a map... They hadn't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm. But, if they continued heading northeast... He let his finger trail on the map to the territory of the Northern Water Tribe. Behind them, Iroh and some crewman were playing Pai Sho. Suddenly, the light was blocked by a huge shadow. A massive hulking Fire Navy ship had stopped at their flank.

"What do they want?" Zuko stared at the boat, annoyed.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho!" His uncle suggested wisely and hopefully. But unfortunately it was not. The herald had come to show the sour prince a wanted poster of the last airbender. The hunt for the Avatar had been given prime importance, and all information regarding him must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao. Iroh was happy for Zhao. But there was something else. The Fire Lord had issued another search order. The traitor Chenlian had escaped from prison and was to be recaptured alive at all costs. Again, all information regarding her must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao.

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass." Zuko replied sullenly and disrespectfully. The herald notified them that Admiral Zhao was not allowing ships in or out of this area.

"Off my ship!" The prince stormed angrily. The herald and his two guards left. Iroh smiled. He had won the game and the pot... and so he flattered (tricked) his opponents into another game. He just wanted to have fun...

In a lookout hidden at the top of a tree by a winding mountain path, two sentries were discussing, one reading the Avatar's wanted poster and the other watching through a telescope. The first one was pretty impressed as it read that the Avatar could create tornados and run faster than the wind. His colleague dismissed it as a bunch of Fire Lord propaganda. There was no way that was true. But just as he returned to his instrument, he saw a cloud of dust rocket through the bend farthest away, then the next and the third, with a bald boy in orange cloths running ahead past the lookout itself. The rush of wind and dust was tremendous. The sentinels blinked and one blew his horn to the sky.

It wasn't long before Aang arrived at the Herbalist Institute. It was once a thriving establishment... until the settlement was deserted. Its medicines were once sent all across the world. The location of the institute was important because its climate ideal for growing a variety of herbs needed to make medicines. It was in the greenhouse attached to the structure, (and holding what seemed to be an endless supply of flora, some of which considered to be the rarest in the world) that the airbender found the octogenary herbalist.

"Hello! I'm sorry to barge in like this, but I need some medicine for my friends. They have fevers and they've been coughing and-" Aang began very fast before being interrupted by the old woman who was mixing something in a bowl on the table in front of her.

"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." She walked over to where a white persian cat was sitting. "I've been up here for over forty years you know, used to be others, but they all left years ago." She petted the cat who purred in response. "Now it's just me and Miyuki."

"That's nice." Aang raised an eyebrow.

"Wounded Earth Kingdom troops still come by now and again, brave boys, and thanks to my remedies they always leave in better shape they when they arrive."

"That's nice. Are you almost done?"

"Hold on, I just need to add one last ingredient." The herbalist walked amongst the shrubbery, looking around and muttering to herself, walking away from an obviously very exasperated and impatient Avatar.

The sunset was in its last stages. Zuko was practicing firebending on the foredeck of his ship when his uncle came in, worried, asking if everything was okay. It had been almost an hour and he hadn't given the men an order.

"I don't care what they do." Zuko lied, looking away.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."

"How, Uncle? With Zhao's resources it's just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar... and... Chenlian too..." Zuko turned to Iroh, desperation and fear on his face. "My honor, my throne, my country, I'm about to lose them all." He whispered, turning back to face the sea.

"Really? I don't think Chenlian is the type to make the same mistake twice. And you should know it too. And you should know what happens when she's serious. She's with the Avatar, right? Then trust her. She will protect him, she will protect them all."

"Yeah..." Zuko muttered, still unhappy and desperate. His uncle put a comforting hand on his shoulder and left. Chenlian... Why, in a corner of his heart, was he reassured that she was with the Avatar? Even now, there would be this spark of happiness and relief each time he would see her. She was well, she was fine, she was free, and indeed, if she was with the Avatar, he probably had little to fear for him. But that was also the source of his despair, his misery, and bitterness. Her place was not at the Avatar's side! And the Avatar was not the one she should be protecting either! Then why?! Why wasn't she at his side!? Why wasn't she protecting him!? Why wasn't she fulfilling her promise to him?! Why had she betrayed him twice?! And why, even though he resented her so much could he not bring himself to hate her? Why would he still care so much about her safety... even though she should be the enemy? Why should he have those thoughts and be all worked up because of her every single day...?

"Here's what I was looking for! Plum blossom!" The herbalist took one flower and put it into the wooden bowl.

"Finally! Thanks for all your help!" Aang grabbed the bowl from the woman's hands who hit his wrist with a spoon, knocking loose his grip on the recipient.

"Hands off! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Taking the cure to my friends!" He justified himself, frightened and abashed, holding his sore wrist. Reassured, the herbalist laughed. This wasn't a cure, but Miyuki's dinner. She placed the bowl on the table in front of the cat that began to eat and purr as she petted it before explaining that plum blossom was her favorite. The Avatar asked about his friends. "Well, all they need is some frozen wood frogs. There're plenty of them down in the valley swamp."

"What am I supposed to do with frozen frogs?" The cluesless airbender questionned.

"Why, suck on them of course!" The herb doctor laughed again.

"Suck on them!?" Aang exclaimed, his right eye twitching in a stunned and disgusted expression. The old woman informed him that the frog's skin excreted a substance that would cure his friends, but he had to make sure he got plenty because once those little critters thawed out, they were useless. A few moments passed in silence.

"You're insane aren't you?" The boy stated his discovery.

"Thaaat's riiiiiight." She agreed in a singing voice. "Well, don't stand there all day. Go!" She whipped her spoon at Aang, who ended up with a sort of dark drab green viscous mixture on his face.

The Avatar wiped the slime away and ran out of the building. Suddenly arrows flew at him. Two landed to his immediate right and left, pinning his clothes to the ground. He looked around the windblown grass field when he saw a huge number of arrows arching toward him. Aang airbended a shell of wind around him, knocking all the projectiles aside. He pulled one out and offered it to someone.

"Uhh, I think you dropped this." He timidly said to the Yu Yan archers crouching on the branches of surrounding trees. His expression turned fearful when he saw them arming their bows again and struggled to free himself from the second arrow. He yanked it back just in time as the archers fired another volley that embedded themselves where he had been. He barely avoided another four arrows by leaning forward and regaining his footing. He ran towards the gate he had entered through, but it was blocked by archers. They fired, but he evaded and ran in the opposite direction, avoiding hails of arrows, and jumped off the cliff at the back of the institute. The archers jumped off the cliff after him.

The airbender let his hood billow a bit to slow him down until he hit the tree canopy beneath. But he was still falling, repeatedly beaten by the brush rapidly flying by. In mid fall, the bowmen shot anchor ropes into the nearby trees and safely swung themselves into the forest where they let go and leapt from branch to branch in the Avatar's pursuit. Eventually Aang came out of the forest, still barely sidestepping the arrows, and into a swamp. He fell into the half frozen murky water and emerged with a white, frozen frog which was a second later knocked out of his hand by an arrow. He tried to run through the water, picking and putting frogs in his clothes along the way. Arrows were falling all around. He got to a dead tree leaning almost parallel to the water. An arrow pinned his right arm to it, soon joined by several more. The archers fired another volley, but the monk waterbended a wall of ice in front of him. The arrows all hit the exact same point, each cutting through the previous one and thrusting deeper through the previously made hole until the ice shattered. They shot another volley, pinning his left arm, followed by a net that covered his upper body. He, the Avatar, had been caught.

Aang was now standing his arms and legs stretched out, his face downcast, in a dark room, only lightly lit by the fires burning at the top of the two stone pillars bearing the Fire Nation crest against which he was chained. He was in an underground prison chamber of the Pohuai Stronghold. He raised eyes of defiance and struggled against his bonds. The door opened and Zhao entered and walked to him, his hands clasped behind his back.

"So this is the great Avatar? Master of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over." The admiral taunted, pacing around him.

"I've never hidden from you. Untie me and I'll fight you right now!" The Avatar challenged back. But Zhao wasn't fooled.

"Uhh, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left?" He put his face up to Aang's. "Do you miss your people?" At this, the boy's look of defiance melted and he dropped his head. That was a truth he could not deny. That man knew which string to tug to hurt people. "Oh, don't worry, you won't be killed like they were." The last airbender looked up again in anger. "See, if you die you'll just be reborn and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive but just barely." Zhao turned to leave, still smirking. Aang breathed in as much air as he could with his mouth and released a strong gale, knocking the admiral until he crashed into the wall where he collapsed in a disgraceful heap. Because of his anger and frustration, the child had used his bending in an aggressive way, unlike his usual gentle disposition and peaceful philosophy as an airbender monk. The admiral shook his head to clear his vision and stood up. "Blow all the wind you want! Your situation is futile. There is no escaping this fortress and no one is coming to rescue you." Zhao slammed the door behind him.

Katara and Sokka were snuggled up in their sleeping bags which lay between Appa's feet. Sokka had a coughing fit and asked his sister for water, but her skin was empty. A certain time ago, worried about Aang, Chenlian had meditated, and then her complexion had changed. She had smiled and said it was nothing, before putting water and food at their side. And then she had told them she was going out for a bit and left after taking some of her stuff and telling Momo to guard them well. But everything was already empty and as only the Lemur could move, Katara gestured for him to take her waterskin, go to the river and fill it and bring it back to them. Momo took the animal skin and left.

Hidden behind a tree in the forest beyond the fortress, Chenlian was intently watching the walls and the gate. She made a move when she heard a rustle in the bushes. She drew her sword but her wrist was caught, just like her other wrist. She was face to face with a white and blue mask, ressembling a demon or a spirit. It was a mask she knew well. Although of course only a human could be underneath that mask, a human with a very familiar built and height and 'feeling' and scent, a human who knew her exceedingly well, and was used to her fighting style and habits... and not many humans fitted that description... and these dual dao swords... She stared for a time, her expression unreadable, until she asked what he was doing, and without talking, he let her go made her understand he was there to help, confirming the inkling she had had. The girl told him her plan to barge in, create a diversion by destroying things like in a vengeance, allowing him to go ahead and then she would disappear in the fire to be free to search with him. She was going to jump and do just as she had said when he stopped her, one hand grabbing her left arm while he slid the other around her waist, and they fell down together, careful not to make too much noise. She cursed under her breath. He helped her back up but held her securely in place while he rummaged through her bag for what he knew would be there. The man let her go and held out her own mask and outfit. That person really knew her too well. But that did not matter now. Chenlian looked at the pieces of clothing in his gloved hand before looking up with an expression very unlike her usual self. She had the eyes of an unreasonable child as she stared back unblinkingly, protestingly as the masked figure...

She knew what he wanted her to do... but that was so unlike her! It went against her aesthetics! Bursting through the front door or flying straight in their midst and fighting everyone head on was much more Chenlian-like...! But someone like her was also unable to completely ignore what reason commanded in such cases, which was why she had brought those things with her. No matter how you thought about it, the best course of action was the stealthy one. But that was so unlike her! However, there was no way around it, and she knew he would not back down either. She hung her head, heaved a resigned sigh, and took the clothes. When she was done, he took her hand and led her away.

On the forest surrounded road leading to the fortress, a wagon was making its way toward the gate. When it passed before them, two figures quickly got under it and held onto the underside of the carriage. First a female with a half dragon mask and pressed against her back, a male with a white and blue mask. The wagon crossed a barren, ashen area, meant to give to a clear view of anything going in or out of the stronghold, and stopped before the gate. A guard said "All clear." and examined the carriage. When he checked the underside, no one was there. He got back up and gave the permission to go on in, unaware of the two mysterious individuals hidden inside the wagon. It passed the three open gates to the foot of the massive central tower where Aang was held prisoner. The boxes were unloaded into the courtyard. The two intruders ran from them and ducked into the shadows and through an open door, unseen. On an ornate balcony Admiral Zhao appeared in ceremonial dress flanked by attendants. Before him, the innermost courtyard was full of fire nation soldiers standing at attention.

"We are the sons and daughters of fire! The superior element! Until today, only one thing stood in our path to victory. The Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" He began grandly. The soldiers cheered. "This is the year Sozin's comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba-Sing-Se and burns the city to the ground!" As Zhao spoke, the two masked infiltrators steadily and stealthily made their way deeper and deeper into the fortress, passing behind guards too busy listening to their superior's victory speech to notice anything.

In his prison chamber, Aang was still struggling fruitlessly against his chains. He finally stopped, breathing heavily. Suddenly, frogs started leaping out of his shirt and hood.

"What? No! Don't leave frogs! My friends are sick and they need you! Please go back to being frozen!" He begged, as if it could be possible without Katara's waterbending. He began to struggle again as the still half-frozen frogs dragged themselves away towards the door. His own body heat as he strained against the chains, coupled with the heat from the fires had contributed to an early and unwanted thawing of the animals... The four guards standing outside the chamber were perplexed when they heard croaking. They looked down to see the half frozen frogs coming from underneath the door and crawling between their booted feet. Suddenly a Fire Nation soldier's helmet came bouncing down the corridor towards them. One of the guards walked up the corridor and turned right at the first junction, disappearing from view. A gout of flame erupted from the cross hallway as well as the sound of a brief scuffle. Two more guards went up and turned right, firebending stances at the ready, only to see the first guard hanging from the ceiling, tied up with chains. They didn't remark the two invaders holding themselves against the ceiling just above them. They dropped down on them and it was over in an instant. The last warden grabbed the alarm horn next to him, but a dagger knocked it out of his hand. The jailer unleashed a plume of flame at the masked man who was lunging at him, but the intruder extinguished the blast with a bucket of water before sweeping feet out from under him with the empty bucket. The female retrieved her dagger and finished knocking out the guard.

In the chamber, Aang stopped struggling after hearing the noises of violence coming from beyond the door. These stopped abruptly, replaced by the sound of the lock turning in the door. It opened and the two mysterious beings entered. The blue mask brandished two curved swords and charged at Aang, who screamed in fear. Two sword cuts were heard. The boy pulled his arms back, surprised to discover that his chains had been cut. He looked at his liberator in wonder. Suddenly the other one put their left hand on the man's shoulder and slid their own mask, revealing their face.

"Aang, Aang, it's me, don't worry."

"Che-...?!" But before he could finish, the female clamped a hand on this mouth.

"Not so loud. And don't say my name here."

"What are you doing here? How did you know? And what are these masks? And who's that?" The Avatar asked, lowering his voice and looking at the male again.

"Someone who came to get you out of here, just like me. The rest later. We don't have time." Chenlian put her mask on again and sliced the shackles on her friend's wrists while her ally cut the ones on his ankles. They started to leave when the airbender stopped them again.

"Wait! Have you seen frogs on the way?"

"Frogs?" Chenlian repeated.

"Sokka and Katara need to suck on them to be cured!"

"What?!" She exclaimed in a 'how-dared-you-let-those-frogs-escape?!' tone. They quickly passed the gagged and tied guard at the door and hearing the croaking, crouched down and tried to get the amphibians back.

"My frogs! Come back! And stop thawing out!" The Avatar begged again. The Blue Spirit came back, picked them both up by the collar and carried them out.

"Wait! Our friends need to suck on those frogs!" Both Aang and Chenlian cried in the same time, although the boy was more imploring and the girl more menacing. But nothing did.

Beginning with a dead mouse that especially disgusted Katara, Momo had succeeded in piling up mountains of junk around the waterbender... but no water. The lemur returned again with a very pretty diadem he placed on her head.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Momo? We need water. Wa-ter. Oh forget it. Aang, Chenlian, please, hurry." She pleaded with a weak sickly voice.

"Who are these Aang and Chenlian kids you keep talking about, Your Highness?" Sokka asked in his delirium. His sister's right eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

Meantime, Aang, Chenlian and the blue mask were walking silently in the sewer system underneath the fortress, careful to remain against the wall. Soldiers walk back and forth above them. They hopped out of a grate and into one of the courtyards.

Zhao was walking in one of the torch-lit corridors of the fortress, followed by some sort of scribe. He wanted a full transcription of his speech sent to the Fire Lord, along with glowing testimonials from all of the ranking officers present, and... he could not finish. He had heard a moan. They went to investigate and saw his guards still tied up. Obviously upset, he slammed the door to Aang's prison cell open. Naturally, it was empty, except for a single frog which ribbited at him from the floor. The admiral turned in anger and left, the scribe in tow.

"Sir, should I hold off sending that speech to the Fire Lord?"

The three would-be escapees were now scaling a rope on the innermost wall of the fortress. However, they were spotted and a soldier warned everyone of their presence and another appeared at the top of the battlements. He cut the rope and the trio fell down. Aang screamed before airbending them to a soft landing. When the dust cleared, the two masked fighters unsheathed their swords and they all ran towards a gate.

"The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!" Zhao shouted from the ornate balcony.

The Avatar passed the Blue Spirit and told him and his friend to stay close to him. The gate was closing in front of them, as were the two beyond it. And it was blocked by many soldiers. Aang airbended a blast of air, blowing them out of the way. He made it to the gate, but the masked man was blocked by soldiers and the time the girl turned around to make sure he was faring well, she was blocked too. Aang turned to see his liberators in trouble. He grabbed a spear from a guard near him that almost impaled him and bended him out of the way. He broke the head of the spear and launched back into battle to save his friends. The gate closed behind him. He had certainly not even thought of the facility or difficulty with which he could have escaped alone or what would happen if he was to be captured again. It was just that he could not leave them behind.

The two masked individuals were surrounded, but fighting magnificently well together until Aang simply airbended all enemies out of the way. He then catapulted his rescuers to the top of the first wall they had originally failed to climb using his new staff to channel his airbending. They were instantly encircled again, but the Avatar appeared utilizing his staff as a helicopter blade. He wanted them to hold onto his legs so he could take them away. The Dragon Empress said nothing and jumped down on her own and used her firebending at the last second to land safely. She would not hold them back! She immediately started fighting again. Clasping his legs around the Blue Spirit's torso, Aang flew away, struggling to keep them aloft while the masked man used his swords and legs to knock away the spears and arrows sent up at them by the guards... guards who were easily dispached by Chenlian as she danced and slashed her way through the courtyard to the next wall.

They barely reached the top of the next wall where they crashed unceremoniously onto the battlement. Aang's staff went spinning away, guards instantly rushed at them. The airbender ran for his staff, but a soldier stopped him, taking several swings at him with his sword. The Blue Spirit threw the guard over the wall. The female with Dragon Empress mask landed at their side after a firebending-enhanced jump. She and the Avatar blasted the other sentinels off the wall. But while they were fighting more soldiers had brought ladders. The three runaways knocked them off as they reached the top. Each depopulated one ladder before Aang brought over his and Chenlian's and stepped onto the one the masked man had just emptied. He handed him one ladder.

"Here, take this. Jump on my back!"

The Blue Spirit complied, the female jumped just below them, and Aang began to use the ladders as massive stilts, casting one each time a step was time Chenlian was the one stopping the projectiles. The sky was brightening, dawn was coming.

"Gimme the next one!"

The Blue Spirit obeyed again. At the bottom of their final stilt, a bender sent fire billowing up the ladder. The Dragon Empress extinguished the flames with her own firebending, although all the time she – with Guang's help – had been careful to control it so the flames could not be seen or would be hidden by the soldiers' own flames. Her friends jumped from the last stilt, and she did a second later. They just managed to grab the edge of the final wall but were unable to hold on, however, and they fell to the ground. The masked man drew his swords again. He and his fellow masked fighter were standing protectively in front of Aang. Four firebenders unleashed their flame on them, but the Avatar put them behind him and airbended the flames away.

"Hold your fire! The Avatar must be captured alive!" Zhao ordered. The Blue Spirit instantly came up behind Aang and crossed his swords in front of the monk's throat while the Dragon empress stepped up in front of her friends again. "Open the gate." He commanded again through gritted teeth, glaring at the implacable blue mask.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" Colonel Shinu asked incredulously.

"Let them out, now!" The admiral repeated. The gate opened and the Blue Spirit backed out with his hostage, swords still at his throat, closely followed by the female, who seemed to be ready, at a moment notice, to knock away any weapon, whether the movement had been before her or behind her.

"How could you let them go?" Shinu questioned again.

"A situation like this requires... precision." His superior answered, his scowl turning into a smirk.

The Blue Spirit continued backing away from the stronghold, occasionally checking behind him but otherwise fixed onto the fortress. Zhao was now looking on from the top of the main gate as a Yu Yan Archer strung an arrow on his bow.

"Do you have a clear shot?" The admiral asked. The bowman didn't respond, but lowered his head in preparation for his shot. "The mask of the Dragon Empress, huh? Is that little girl trying to mock the Fire Nation? Well, whatever. Now the first arrow will definitely be fended off by that little creeper. Immediately knock out the thief with the blue mask with the second arrow before taking care of the other. I'll deliver them to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar."

The archer released his arrow, which was indeed diverted by the female's sword. However, exactly as predicted, the woman was half a second too late to parry the other that rebounded on the demon mask but whose impact was strong enough to render its wearer unconscious. Aang and Chenlian turned and watched in horror as the man collapsed. From the corner of her eyes, or maybe because she had heard the now familiar whistle, unless it was her survival instinct taking over, the girl swung just in time to avoid the same fate. This seemed to make Aang recover. He turned around and airbended up a huge cloud of dust around them. Zhao shouted the order to quickly recover the Avatar.

A crowd of Fire Nation soldiers emerged from the main gate and ran toward the dust cloud. Inside, Chenlian was already taking the white and blue mask off to make sure its user was alright. Aang gave a start and fell backward on the ground from the shock when he recognized Prince Zuko. The young woman told him to leave quickly. He started to run away, but then turned to see that Chenlian, who he had noticed had not been the least bit surprised that it was Zuko behind the mask, had helped the prince up, putting his right arm around her shoulders and her left arm around his waist. She was now picking his swords. He saw the way she looked at the scarred young man, and her expression when she would look at him. It was true that she was aiding the enemy, and maybe that was something she should not be doing. It wasn't rational. And for that she apologised if it went against his wishes and interest. But she was nonetheless incapable of leaving Zuko like this. And for that she was not going to apologise. She was going to help Zuko no matter what. And then his eyes turned to the fallen prince, still out cold, and only supported by Chenlian, and his eyes were filled with compassion. The Fire Nation soldiers were getting close. He hesitated...

But when the dust cleared, the soldiers found nothing. The crossroad where Zuko had fallen was now empty. Zhao gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, looking insanely angry. A frog hopped up onto the railing, ribbited, and hopped off.

"Are you sure, Aang? He will attack you again. I will stay with him anyway so there's no need for you to..."

"It's fine. I will stay until he wakes up. Besides, even if he attacks me you will protect me." Aang replied with a weak smile. They were in the forest. They had installed Zuko on a bed of leaves, although his head rested on Chenlian's lap.

"Well, that's true but..."

"I told you it's fine. But what about you? Will you really come back to us?" The Avatar asked again. He did not doubt her loyalty to him, Katara, and Sokka (and Appa and Momo) or how much she cared about them. Not in the slightest. She would really put her life on the line for them. But the way she looked at the prince was special. The way she cared for him was not the way she cared for them. There was a soft and tender warmth in her eyes, a concern, a sad and wistful longing, an affection that you would not expect from her and whose sheer quality would make a number of men want to kill the object of that affection to take its place... which made Aang wonder whether she was really okay with staying with them and not him regardless of their current circumstances...

"Of course I will go back to you... and as soon as I've spoken a bit with him. Right now my place is with you. And I think, or maybe I just want to believe that it is also his place. But he's not ready. And now all I can do is speak with him. I doubt my words or feelings will reach him, but maybe one day..."

It was morning when Zuko groggily woke up to the sun filtering through the high canopy. His vision slowly cleared and he saw Aang's forlorn form sitting on a nearby root.

"You know what the worst part about being born over a hundred years ago is?" The little monk began. "I miss all the friends I used to hang out with. Before the war started, I used to always my friend Kuzan. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had..." He turned to face Zuko. "...and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you. If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" His expression became hopeful. After a pause, the prince let loose a huge flame at him that missed its target because of someone's interference. Chenlian had moved his arm just before the release. Aang cast him a last sad look and flew away on a current of air. He hopped away from tree branch to tree branch and out of sight. The prince instantly grabbed the front of the girl's clothes and pinned her down, immobilizing her.

"Why do you keep getting in my way, Chenlian?! Tell me! You know why I'm doing this, don't you?!" He yelled, glaring down at her. She said nothing and studied him again, taking in his face, his scent, everything he had endured these past years, and who he had become. His hold did not have its usual sharpness. If she really wanted to, she could easily escape. It was like he was confused, hesitating. He was looking straight at her but his eyes, although as pure and clear as before, were like clouded by a film of anger and pain and tears that he could not show her. He was looking at her but was not really seeing her. He seemed to try but was too scared.

"For your father, and for yourself, because you believe this is the only chance you have at regaining your status and your place at his side."

"Then why aren't you helping me?! Why do you keep betraying me? This is also a chance for you to redeem yourself! It's not too late, if you capture the Avatar with me, then surely..."

"You really ask the strangest questions. Aside from stealth, have you not learnt anything during your travels? Like how much people suffer because of us or how much they hate us and despise us murderers, thieves, destroyers, ash-makers? And yet I love our country. And believe me or not, my family and I never once plotted to overthrow anyone, and I never tried to kill any member of your family. However, your father is not the man you think he is. I know things about him that you don't. I discovered the real reason behind my imprisonment and the false accusations against my parents that led them to their death... That's why I'd rather die than obey your father. And since that time, I've wanted to end him. But it's the one thing I want to do and the one thing I must never do. That is why I've entrusted all my hopes and dreams to the Avatar. I am confident he will end this war and bring peace to the world. The four nations will be four and whole again. I know he will save the Fire Nation from itself. And although many things and the people that were lost can never be brought back, at least the truth and order will be restored."

"What truth are you talking about?! What reasons?!" He bellowed.

"That..." Chenlian closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips. Suddenly she opened them again and a plume of fire left her mouth. Surprised, Zuko recoiled. The girl took advantage of it to pin _him_ to the ground. "...I'm sorry but I can't tell you now. Say, Zuko, if I told you what's really going on, if I told you everything, what really happened and who I've become, would you see me differently?" She asked, as much to herself as to him. Some strands of her mahogany hair had escaped her ponytail and were brushing the young man's cheek. "If only you'd believe me, there's so much I would like to say... and you don't know how much I want to... but if I told you now, you'd certainly reject everything that I am without a second thought and with every fibre of your being because that'd go against everything you've lived for until now, and you cannot accept a truth that you do not want. And that is the thing I least want to happen...You... you saved Aang only because you wouldn't allow Zhao to steal him from you, right?" She asked bluntly. It was the prince's turn to keep quiet. "Well, I guess that was only to be expected... But what about me? Since you can't make me do as you wish, will you try to capture me? And if you ever manage that, would you keep me to yourself to try and convince me? Would you hand me over? Or would you give me the benefit of the doubt and let me free? Would you be able to trust me inconditionally and help me?" There was another long and heavy silence. She looked so hopeful and yet so scared. And again, Zuko could not answer. He didn't know what he would do when each possibility repulsed or frightened him more than the other.

Another moment passed in silence. She was smiling, and on his cheeks he could feel the soft brushing of her hair and hands, but in her eyes he could see things he was not used to. The sadness she felt yearning for something she deemed impossible to obtain, her insecurities, her fears, her hope, her sincerity, her concern and great care and the simple truth of her words that could not be denied. It was like he was swallowing something incredibly sweet and yet chokingly bitter that could be poison as well as medicine. When he saw such side of her he was not used to, he did not know what to do, nor could he do anything. She held people down. She let her limbs slide and simply lay there on top of him, her head against his chest, as if listening to his heart, and her hands against his shoulders. She held him down. Not with her physical strength, not with her unbreakable fortitude and convictions... and yet more surely than any chains. When she was baring her heart to him and showing him her weaker sides, when she looked at him without any mask of pride, without acting tough, he felt stripped of his own mask and act. When Chenlian who always appeared so strong, so brave, so steadfast, so indomitable, almost to the point of unreachability and invincibility... was there sounding and looking so fragile, he would feel the need, the strong urge to tightly hold her in his arms and comfort her... even more so since he felt that this fearful girl was actually her true self. He was so confused it was killing him. He wanted to leave and he wanted to stay. He knew it was wrong but it felt so right. His mind tried to fight but his body and heart would not listen. He remained there, unable to say a single word, or move a single inch. It was not good. The feelings he thought he had buried completely were starting to resurface. They were growing more intense every time he would see her. He was starting to realize and remember things he did not want to. How important she had been to him, how he had missed her, just how much he still cared about her... Then the young woman slowly raised herself to sit up on him. Her eyes had regained their determination and were glowing like a shining dawn.

"Zuko, no matter how difficult it may be, I want to protect all those I care about with my own hands, you, the Avatar, everyone. Someday, you will open your eyes. And even if it is impossible now, I won't give up, I won't lose hope that we can all be together again under the sun." And with that she gave one last hopeful and encouraging smile and left, using jets of fire to propel herself through the air. He looked until he could no longer see her.

Aang had gone to the swamp to collect frozen frogs once again while Chenlian had stopped at a river to wash her face with the ice cold water and change back into less suspicious clothes. On the way back, she found Katara's water pouch lying there. How could that be?

On Zuko's ship, the crew was reeling in the cutter vessel back into the mother ship. The prince looked rather sullen as he walked past his uncle on the main deck. The old man had been practicing with the Tsungi horn he had bought from the _high-risk traders_. At his side the (creepy) bejeweled monkey statue he had got from those same people was sitting on a low table.

"Where have you been, Prince Zuko? You missed music night! Lieutenant Jee sang a stirring love song."

"I'm going to bed. No disturbances." The teen eluded while walking away. He did sound tired. Iroh began to blow his horn again.

Aang and Chenlian returned at almost the same time, both downcast and heavy hearted. The Avatar put frozen frogs in his friends' mouths and told them to suck on those. They would make them feel better. The female firebender had filled and brought back Katara's waterskin she handed back to her. Aang collapsed onto Appa's beaver like tail with a sigh while Chenlian started preparing a quick meal, rather uncommunicatively...

"Aang, how was your trip? Did you make any new friends?" Sokka asked, his speech impaired by the amphibian oral obstruction. Chenlian looked so tightlipped, he felt he better not ask her anything.

"No, I don't think I did." The child answered softly with a hint of regrets. The firebender poked the fire a little too vigorously. The lights and shadows were dancing on her closed face. Aang stared at her for a time then rolled over.

"Mmmm! This is tasty! Mmm!" Sokka appraised after a time with a happy expression. But then the frog in his mouth thawed out and began moving around and croaking. He realized with horror what it was and spat it out in disgust. His sister suffered a similar fate. She cried out and it hopped out of her mouth. And the siblings started spitting and coughing.

In his own chamber, Prince Zuko was lying awake, lost in thought. He looked at the Fire Nation symbol hanging on his wall, and then at the ceiling. _"a stirring love song"_... his heart had been stirred enough as it was. Chenlian... she really had not changed, ready to jump into the worst danger for a loved one's sake, regardless of what was left behind or depended on her, or anything else for that matter, seeing only the truth... she still had that dignity and confidence in herself but after all, her freedom and radiance were different. Something had changed. And what was she talking about? Just what had happened to her?!

* * *

**Author's note: ding ding ding! we have a winner... Gadget boy who almost perfectly guessed the content of this chapter! Although it had only been mentioned as a wish lol. Congratulation! And the prize is... no idea lol. Would you even like one? Anyway, I'm writing chapters 27/28 on word (episodes 3/4 of 2nd season) but I make sure to always stay 8 chapters ahead and I'd like to at least post the whole 1st season (that ends at ch24) and waiting before deciding what to do. **


	18. The perils of predictions

**Fight****18: The Perils of Predictions**

Sokka, Aang, Katara, Chenlian and Momo were sitting around a camp on a lakeshore. They had installed their large blue tent amongst huge rocks. Suddenly, a big green sort of catfish jumped into view and fell back into the lake. Katara stood up and pointed at it. Her brother bolted upright and assumed a gunslinger stance. And the fish jumped and dropped again...

"He is taunting us. You are so gonna be dinner!" Sokka, clearly annoyed, grabbed his fishing pole and cast it a few times without effect. "Hey! Where's the fishing line?"

"Oh, I didn't think you would need it, Sokka." Aang held up a very pretty necklace with a peach colored flower in a braid made of woven fishing line...

"Aahh, it's all tangled!"

"Not tangled... woven." He airbended himself up and turned to Katara. "I made you a necklace, Katara. I thought since you lost your other one..." He looked from side to side, obviously embarrassed, showing the pendant with a silly grin spread across his face. She smiled and gratefully accepted. She loved it. Chenlian smiled too. It was lovely indeed. Sokka sarcastically congratulated him and suggested that instead of saving the world he should switch to a jewelry making business. But Aang didn't see why he couldn't do both. While the firebender was fastening the necklace around the waterbender's neck, the fish leaped again from the lake. The great fisherman threw his pole like a spear and it disappeared into the water.

"Stop taunting me!" He yelled angrily. The idea that it could be his paranoia that made him feel that way had not occurred to him for a single second. He drew his knife from behind his back and lunged into the water with it, trying to catch the mean and evil little fish while his friends coolly watched his usual antics.

"So, how does she look?" Chenlian asked like she was presenting a masterpiece. Aang turned to face them and his eyes almost popped out of his skull. Katara's beauty had literally stunned him and made him speechless.

"So, how do I look?" Katara asked again with a light smile and a little pose and a slight blush coloring her cheeks. The boy used his left forefinger to loosen his collar while staring at her.

"You mean all of you or just your neck? I mean, uh, both look great." He praised, very flustered.

"Smoochie, smoochie, someone's in love." Sokka, who had just emerged from the lake, looked about to kiss the fish he was holding. The firebender kept quiet but was nonetheless quite amused by the childish yet most certainly truthful taunt. The fish flipped in the fisher's hands, knocking his head with its tail, and jumped back into the lake. Aang rubbed his bald head in an embarrassed gesture and was going to say something when Katara, sounding very annoyed, told her brother to stop teasing him. Momo hopped up onto the airbender's shoulder.

"Aang's just a good friend." Katara said again, rubbing the boy's head. "A sweet little guy... just like Momo." She petted Momo's head just as she had Aang's a moment before, completely clueless about the Avatar's feelings.

"Thanks." The monk replied, visibly put down. Chenlian's smile had also faltered and turned sad. Having feelings for someone was something truly wonderful. But no guarantee existed that they could ever be returned. And it could lead to tragic results and consequences. Just how difficult it could be to turn someone's feelings toward oneself... Sokka approached them, soaking wet, empty handed, and with a dark look on his face. Chenlian was going to offer her contribution for the next meal when they suddenly heard an ominous noise.

Everyone hurried toward its source and saw an old man being attacked by a platypus bear. It was huge bear like creature with red eyes and the bill and tail of a platypus. It bared its teeth, reared itself up on its hind legs and attacked the old man in blue who smiled calmly and casually and skilfully evaded every blow.

"Well, hello there. Nice day, isn't it?" He politely greeted them... still dodging the swings like it was nothing. Aang, Katara, and Sokka started yelling contrary pieces of advice. However, he replied it was not needed, as he was going to be fine. The bear swung again, swiping a large chunk of wood out of a nearby tree as the calm man ducked just in time. Aang shot into the air, landed between the animal and the elderly, and airbended up a wall of air that momentarily pushed the beast backwards. It reared again and roared, only to have Appa roaring right behind it. A shiver of sheer fear ran up the bear's spine, all its muscles contracted, and an egg dropped out its behind. The animal ran into the river and swam away. Sokka picked up the large egg.

"Mmm! Lunch!" He sniffed the egg, and then haughtily looked at the old man. "Lucky for you we came along." He conveniently forgot that it was Aang and Appa who had done everything. The composed senior expressed his thanks but everything was already under control. There was no need to worry as Aunt Wu had predicted he would have a safe journey. He bowed slightly.

"Aunt who?" Aang misunderstood.

"No, Aunt Wu. She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future." The old man explained. Katara appeared immediately interested. She understood that feeling, and why that man had been so calm. At this, Chenlian became slightly suspicious... unlike Sokka who became downright offensive.

"But the fortuneteller was wrong! You didn't have a safe journey, you were almost killed!"

"But I wasn't. All right, have a good one!" He gestured in farewell and began to walk away, but turned back again. "Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travelers to give them this." He handed Aang a long, thin wrapped object and walked away.

"Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun." Katara suggested, sounding quite excited.

"Oh come on, fortunetelling is nonsense." Her brother dismissed her. "Chenlian, you're not one to believe in such nonsense, are you?" While Sokka was speaking, Aang shredded the wrapping, revealing an umbrella he opened.

"What do ya know, an umbrella!" Aang exclaimed. The sky darkened instantly and thunder was heard and rain poured down on them.

"I don't really know or care. I'll do what I must and walk the path I've chosen whatever happens. Whether it exists or not, whether I believe or not, it doesn't really change anything to me. So if you want to go to that fortuneteller, why not?" Chenlian went to Appa to fetch something that looked like a hooded rain poncho. Katara smiled and waterbended the rain in a sparkling arc away from her head before joining Aang under his umbrella, happy that Aunt Wu's prediction had proven true. Sokka held the egg above his head to try and deflect the rain saying it didn't mean the future could really be foretold.

"I guess you're not really getting wet then." His sister smartly noted. The egg slipped out of Sokka's hands and in his attempts to grab it again it flew up into the air and crashed back on his head.

The four were walking down a path under the still pouring rain, and Sokka was still trying to discredit Aunt Wu's supposed ability...

"Of course she predicted it was gonna rain. The sky's been gray all day."

"Just admit you might be wrong and you can come under the umbrella." His sister suggested again but was turned down – again. And it was not like Chenlian could do anything to help here. Well, even if she could, Sokka would certainly turn her down too because of his pride.

"Look, I'm going to predict the future now... It's going to keep drizzling." He predicted with an exaggerated voice while making funny motions. He then folded his arms across his chest and assumed an expression of defiance. "See!"

The rain instantly stopped.

"Not everyone has the gift, Sokka." Aang laughed. He and the girls kept on walking, leaving the ponytailed warrior standing where he was. Appa, who was bringing up the rear, shook off his wet fur, drenching Sokka once again as he passed him by.

They walked through the gate and into to the village square. It was built on a slope and in the background they could see a single snow capped mountain, its peak partially obscured in clouds. The firebender looked at it apprehensively, having easily recognized that mountain for what it was. Not only that, she felt something weird about it. They arrived in front of the circular door of one of the buildings where some sort of herald dressed in black greeted them and told them Aunt Wu was expecting them.

"Really?" Katara was elated. The four walked forward as her brother made a sound of disgust. They passed through a circular door into a room with three sitting pillows and a young girl in a pink kimono and huge hair braids that stuck straight out from the sides of her head entered and introduced herself as Meng, Aunt Wu's assistant. Her eyes went wide at the sight of Aang, and her polite expression turned into a lovestruck one... contrary to the boy who could not look more unenthusiastic. She greeted him in a flirty way that went unnoticed for the air and water people. The child greeted her back dully, rubbing his nose. Meng offered to get them some tea, or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs as the four sat down on the cushions.

"I'll try a curd puff." Sokka answered without a second's hesitation.

"Then I'd like some cinnamon tea." Chenlian added. Meng raised her palm to them and asked Aang his name. He told him, as there was no reason not to.

"That rhymes with Meng! And you've got some pretty big ears, don't you?" She put her face close to his.

"I guess..." The monk replied, confused.

"Oh, don't be modest. They're huge!" Sokka opened his arms wide. Aang looked at him angrily and put his hands over his ears as if to smash them down to an acceptable size.

"Well Aang, it is very nice to meet you. Very nice." Meng insisted.

"Likewise." The Avatar replied curtly. Meng left, looking back slyly out of the corner of her eye at the airbender.

Sokka complained that he still couldn't believe they were here in the house of nonsense. His sister advised him to try to keep an open mind. There were things in this world that just couldn't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into their future? To what Sokka pragmatically replied it would be nice to have some bean curd puffs... Katara looked annoyed at this. Not long later, Meng appeared with a tray of refreshments. And a moment later, the inner door opened to reveal a young woman in a green kimono who rushed over to her.

"Oh Meng! Aunt Wu says I'm going to meet my true love! He's going to give me a rare panda lilly." The young woman was ecstatic. These panda lilies were a symbol of unconditional love.

"That's so romantic." She looked dreamily over at Aang. "I wonder if my true love will give me a rare flower..."

"Good luck with that!" Aang told her earnestly, and cluelessly.

"Is that the big eared guy who Aunt Wu predicted you'd marry?" The woman in green inquired, amused. Meng shoved her away and brought the tray over to the three, but her eyes were fixed on Aang. She tripped and almost dumped the food on him, but he helped steady her grip on the tray, his hands on hers as they held the tray together. They shared a moment looking into each other's eyes.

"Enjoy your snack." She withdrew, looking quite flustered. Sokka took the tray from him and was going to stuff himself when they were interrupted by a woman.

"Welcome young travelers. Now, who's next? Don't be shy." It was an old and serene woman in a yellow or gold kimono – Aunt Wu – who greeted them. Since both boys and Chenlian looked uninterested, Katara went first. She stood up and followed Aunt Wu while her brother started chomping on curd puffs. He offered some to his friends but both refused. More importantly, Aang was curious about what those two women could be talking about.

"Boring stuff, I'm sure... Love... Who she's going to marry... How many babies she's gonna have..." Sokka replied unconcernedly, not noticing how the boy would grow more alarmed at each of his pronouncements.

"Yeah... dumb stuff like that..." The airbender bit his fingernails, eyes wide. "Well, I've gotta find a bathroom!" He ran away, the firebender smiling as he did so, while the two enjoyed their snacks... until Momo grabbed the bowl of puffs and ran off with it.

Aang walked down the hall near the inner door, obviously trying to be quiet so he could eavesdrop. He heard them talking about smooth palms and special seaweed lotions used as moisturizer and he stuck his tongue out in disdain for such girly topics. And then he heard what he wanted... interesting things in Katara's love line... His eyes popped out instantly and he leant in close to hear.

"I feel great romance for you. The man you're going to marry-"

"Tell me more!"

"I can see that he is a very powerful bender."

Aang's expression flipped from wide eyed to extremely smug in an instant as he launched himself into the air in the hallway, elated over this news. Clearly there was no doubt in his mind as to what this prediction meant. He returned to Sokka who was picking his teeth, and Chenlian sitting neutrally. They noticed he seemed to have had a pretty good bathroom break.

"Yeah, when I was in there-"

"I don't even wanna know!"

Aunt Wu and Katara entered and the old woman asked who was next. Sokka wanted to get this over with. The fortuneteller looked at him sternly and predicted that  
his future would be full of struggle and anguish, most of it self-inflicted. He angrily retorted that she hadn't read his palms or anything, but she didn't need to as it was written all over his face. The Water Tribesman looked very displeased at this. Once more, Aunt Wu asked who was next.

"HER!" Katara immediately pulled Chenlian up by the arm.

"What?! But I don't-"

"I absolutely want to hear your love fortune!"

"But why?"

"Why?! It's a female friend's duty to hear all about her female friend's love life!"

_Is it really?_ Chenlian wondered. She had never had any real female friend to begin with nor was it her style either to indulge in gossip as she didn't care about it or blabber about personal matters so how could she know about such things?! At first she had only planned to accompany them. She had never been interested in fortunetelling and still was not. It was certain that back then, she would have never done something she was not interested in, not for other people... but seeing Katara so ecstatic and expectant...

"Alright..." The mahogany haired girl sighed and followed a smiling Aunt Wu. Just how soft had she become?!

They went into a room when Chenlian sat on her shins on a cushion while the forecaster lit two candles and closed the shutters before sitting down the same way opposite the young girl, the candles in between them at their sides. They stared at each other for a time before Aunt Wu smiled kindly and broke the silence.

"You don't need my fortunetelling, because you already know that people make their own destiny." She gently took the teen's hands in hers. "That's what you've been doing with those scarred and toughened hands for many years. So I will just ask that you listen to that old woman's rambling and advice. As you've always been, keep walking your path with pride and dignity. Do not let any disappointment cloud and close your heart, because to many people, your smile is like the blazing dawn after a long and cold night. Since you're a decisive person, other people may seem slow to you and irritate you, but not many people possess such insight as you do, and you must not forget that many things take time, and often, mistakes are necessary for people to understand... Now concerning the young man who troubles you so much... oh dear, no need to look so surprised, of course I'd know... half of you may be with them, but half of you is somewhere far away, and only a man could make a girl have such an expression on her face... and your hands... they're so warm, and I'm sure they're much smoother than they were a few months ago, right? They also smell sweet, sensual, and fresh, just like a rosebud... you must definitely get me the balm you're using... But I digress... you're worried about him and about your friends... but just like you must never cease to believe in your own heart, you must never cease to believe in him, and in them. It might be easier said than done, but you are strong. And will become stronger still. So trust yourself, trust him, trust them, and that someday, everything will be alright. You must keep believing... no matter what, because if you give up, then nothing will be left."

"I don't know if you read the future... but you certainly read people well." Chenlian spoke at last with a small smile on her lips. "Actually I make my own moisturizer, hair masks and face masks depending on the available products. If you want I can write down all the recipes."

Chenlian and Aunt Wu returned to the reception room. Katara bolted on her feets and asked her her opinion. But the firebender merely smiled and put her index on her own lips in a shushing gesture.

"Later..." She mouthed softly. The brown haired girl looked at her curiously. Since they had left Taku, Chenlian had always looked a bit down, as if there was something weighing on her mind and that she was worried about something. It was still there but certainly she now appeared to display a more positive, optimistic attitude and outlook on things. Actually, if Katara had been so intent on coming it was not only for herself, but also in the hope of cheering Chenlian up. And since it seemed to have worked even a little, she couldn't help but smile lightly.

While Sokka was still down and pouting, Aang and Aunt Wu left and entered her inner chamber. It was a simple room with four red pillars rising to the roof. The square made by the pillars was depressed into the floor by a small amount so that you had to step down into the area. In the center of the square was a small fire. Four pillows lay at the four corners of the square. On the left is a small urn was filled to the brim with bones. They approached the urn.

"This is the most reliable method of telling your fortune. The bones never lie. Go on, pick one." She motioned to the urn. Aang obeyed and they sat down. "Now throw it on the fire." He did as told again. "The heat makes cracks in the bones and I read the bone cracks to tell your destiny." A huge crack appeared.

"Wow, that's a big crack." The bone cracked again.

"I've never seen this before. Oh my!" She exclaimed, surprised, and she and Aang both protected themselves as the bone exploded into splinters and the fire flared up to the ceiling. "This is incredible! You will be involved in a great battle; an awesome conflict between the forces of good and evil, a battle whose outcome will determine the fate of the whole world!" She told him dramatically. Aang was disappointed; he knew all of that already. He wanted to hear about a girl... about love! Aunt Wu was confused at first and then apologised for not having seen anything about that. At this the boy looked so downcast that she took pity on him and decided to go along with him. "Oh look!" She slapped the side of her face with her hand, in a gesture of mea culpa. "I must have missed something." She picked up a sliver of bone, held it over her head and examined it. "Right here it says, trust your heart and you will be with the one you love."

"Really!?" He stood and clasped his hands in a gesture of thanks. "Thank you, Aunt Wu!" And the child ran out, happy and excited, not noticing Aunt Wu shook her head at him. He joined his friends outside and they walked away.

"Well, now you got to see for yourselves that fortunetelling is just a big, stupid hoax." Sokka voiced his opinion. His sister retorted that he was just saying that because he was going to make himself unhappy his whole life. "That woman is crazy! My life will be calm, and happy and joyful!" The boy exploded again, so upset he kicked a small stone off the ground which ricocheted off a nearby sign and hit his head, knocking him on his behind. "Ow!" Then he quickly added "That doesn't prove anything!" in case the others got the wrong impression that predictions could actually come true.

"Well, I liked my predictions. Certain things are going to turn out very well." Katara commented, holding her hands together in a gesture of hope.

"They sure are." Aang leant toward her with a knowing smile.

"Why, what did she tell you?" The waterbender asked, cluelessly.

"Some stuff. You'll find out." The Avatar was still smiling but less meaningfully as he didn't want Katara to know that he had eavesdropped on her conversation.

"And you, Chenlian, what did she tell you?" Katara questioned.

"Hmm... What I wanted and needed to hear... I guess."

"And your love fortune?"

"Maybe later..." The firebender smiled mysteriously.

They arrived at the village square where a large crowd had gathered. Most of the people were standing around and looking up in silence. The man from before (who had been attacked by the platypus bear) told them they were waiting for Aunt Wu to come and read the clouds to predict the fate of the whole village. Aang pointed at a fluffy bunny like cloud, to what the man retorted that he better hope that it wasn't one as the fluffy bunny cloud forecast doom and destruction.

"Do you even hear yourself?" Sokka cracked, earning himself a dark look from the elder. A woman explained that the cloud reading would tell us if Mount Makapu was going to erupt or remain dormant for another year. They used to have a tradition once a year of going up the mountain to check the volcano themselves, but ever since Aunt Wu had moved to the village twenty years ago, they had a tradition of not doing that. "I can't believe you would trust your lives to that crazy old woman's superstition." Sokka yelled, incensed, before his sister shushed him. The fortuneteller was coming.

The crowd reverently parted to allow Aunt Wu to pass, climbed three little steps onto a square, covered little stage. Everyone clapped and cheered. Meng suddenly showed up next to Aang and pointed at the sky.

"Hey Aang, doesn't that cloud look like a flower?"

"Sure, I guess." He replied hesitantly and unenthusiastically before pushing her away and very enthusiastically saying "Hey Katara, don't you think that cloud looks like a flower?" But his spirit dampened when she shushed him too, as engrossed as she was in the old woman. And helping herself with a book, Aunt Wu began her fortunetelling. She predicted a nice big harvest (a farmer and his wife hugged each other), a great year for twins (two identical boys gave each other a high five), and dramatically announced that the village would not be destroyed by the volcano this year! The crowd went wild.

"Since I got you here, uh, there's something I want to tell you. I like you, but more than normal." The airbender said, embarrassed yet hopeful, but her rapt attention focused on Aunt Wu, Katara had not heard him at all, and she ran towards the stage leaving Aang alone, obviously crushed. Momo, perched on his head, compassionately dropped his ears. "Never mind."

Chenlian had heard it all but he surely had not wanted his confession overheard so she did the only thing she could. "Why's the long face?" The firebender slapped his back.

"Chenlian..."

"Are you doubting Aunt Wu's words?"

"That's..."

"Believe in yourself, and do what you can to the best of your abilities. And even if it's no good yet, keep at it, hope, and leave the rest to time. That's all people can ever do when things come down to it. If you think the future is written down, then it is. If you don't, then it won't be. The future is made by your own decisions. And I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't let anyone but myself dictate mine. Well, there's something I'm worried about too so I guess I'll go have a look at it." The mahogany haired girl frowned at the fire mountain. Then she turned, smiled and waved at Aang and left with a 'See ya.'

Not far she saw Meng who was – it seemed – stalking Aang. Because she had recently learned that girls in love were fussy about appearance, she thought she could do something for the little assistant. Of course it was impossible for her to date Aang, but maybe if she thought herself and actually became prettier, she would have more self confidence and so Chenlian advised her to ask Aunt Wu to share with her the recipes for hair masks and face masks she had given her. Her hair was like this because it was too dry. If she regularly applied some treatment, it should get better with time. While at Aunt Wu' 'shop' Katara had come to beg for another reading. She wanted to know about this man she was supposed to marry, if he was gonna be tall and handsome... and the old woman accepted to read her palm again.

Sokka and Aang were walking together in the village. The Water Tribe teen was still grumblings about all these "saps" and that someone needed to scream some sense at them. Aang argued they seemed happy, but not for long according to his friend who wanted to (and was going to – still according to him) prove that Aunt Wu's predictions were nonsense. He grabbed nearby man.

"Hey, you. I bet Aunt Wu told you to wear those red shoes, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she said I'd be wearing red shoes when I met my true love." The man answered dreamily.

"Uh-huh. And how many times have you worn those shoes since you got that fortune?" Sokka asked back like a law keeper interrogating a suspect.

"Everyday."

"THEN OF COURSE IT'S GOING TO COME TRUE!" The boy (who in another world might have proved a fervent follower of the Cartesian doubt) yelled in anger and frustration, abashed at just how brainwashed these people seemed to be, doing anything and everything to make those predictions come true. Even if something had VERY little chance to happen, when repeated enough times, of course the probability would rise to nearly 100%!

"Really? You think so? I'm so excited!" And the man left. Those people did not even notice the absurdity of their own behaviour! Like they had completely lost their ability to think and decide for themselves! Sokka kicked a stone on the ground that hit a duck, which soon flew up onto him and vengefully started pecking him and quack in his ears. Aang watched him crawl away, still under the bird's attack.

Aunt Wu had had just finished telling Katara that she'd die peacefully in her sleep after having seen the birth of her third great grandchild. The girl was going to leave when she asked how warmly she should dress tomorrow. The old woman was flaggerbasted.

"I don't care what Aunt Wu told you, you have to take a bath sometime!" Sokka yelled at a filthy old man, who smiled, grunted, and walked away, impervious to the boy who had clearly lost all patience and restraint. Aang asked him whether he knew some stuff about ladies. "Some stuff? You've come to the right place." The Water Tribe warrior smugly put his arm around his friend's shoulders and pointed at his chest in conspiratorially. "What can I do you for?"

"Well, there's this girl..." The little monk began. Sokka saw Meng hiding behind a barrel and giggling, obviously stalking Aang.

"I think I know who you mean." He misinterpreted.

"You do? And you're ok with it?" The Avatar asked, unsure, as **_usually_** brothers were very protective of their sisters.

"Of course I am." He was definitely thinking of Meng instead of Katara, as the fortuneteller's assistant had come closer and was fractically waving her arms, desperate to attract Aang's attention. "And, to tell you the truth, I've been picking up the subtle vibe that she likes you too."

"She does!?"

"Oh yeah! She's crazy about ya. All ya have to do now is not mess it up."

"Well, how do I do that?"

"The number one mistake nice guys like you make: being too nice."

"You can be too nice?"

"Yup. If you want to keep her interested you have to act aloof, like you don't really care one way or the other." Sokka crossed his arms, trying to act all important and knowledgeable. The airbender said okay, just as Meng showed up. She tried to strike a conversation but the boy walked away after five words, carelessly throwing an uninterested 'See ya later.'... leaving a very disappointed Meng.

"Wow, that kid is good." The warrior rubbed his chin, impressed by his comrade's aloofness.

Aunt Wu was pushing Katara out into the square, telling her she'd be fine as long as she had a scarf, but the girl wanted to know one more thing. The old woman gave in, exasperated. The waterbender wanted to know whether she should eat a mango or a papaya for breakfast tomorrow.

"Papaya!" The woman snapped before slamming the door shut. Obviously, that girl asked too many questions about too many trivial matters...

"Ohhh, I hate papaya." Katara kicked the dirt in disappointement. Aang was leaning against the wall of Aunt Wu's house, trying to look nonchalant.

"Oh, hey Katara. I didn't see you there."

"Hey Aang." The waterbender walked away without as much as a back look. He shouted after her that it was okay since he was busy with his own stuff. It was obviously a lie since a few minutes later he was there again when Katara was reluctantly bying her papaya. She offered him some (out of kindness but also hoping to reduce her own share).

"You know me." He said, casually picking a fruit and taking a bite. "I don't really care what I eat."

"Ok then. See you later." She walked away unconcernedly. Aang choked and spat.

"Maybe aloof isn't my style." He too was disappointed, until he heard a woman's exclamation of delight concerning the panda lilly a young man had just given her. They embraced. It was the woman in green who had consulted Aunt Wu just before they had come in. If that woman had loved it then Katara would surely too! Aang rudely interrupted their moment by litteraly appearing in between the happy couple, physically forcing them apart and surprising them. He leant over them to point at the flower the woman's hand and asked where a guy could find one of those things...

"I can't believe you're dragging me all the way up here for a stupid flower." Sokka grumbled, surely because he disliked having to climb the steep and uneven slope leading to the top of a volcano. But Aang disagreed. It was not just any flower but a panda lilly! He had seen it in action and it worked really well! The airbender was lightly hopping from boulder to boulder. "Flowers are fine once you're married, but at this early stage it's critical that you maintain maximum aloofness." The warrior argued back.

"But my heart is telling me to get this flower, and Aunt Wu said if I trusted my heart I would be with the one I love."

"What? Don't tell me you believe in that stuff too!"

"Well, Aunt Wu hasn't been wrong yet. Why should she be wrong about love? There, on the rim! Huh? What is Chenlian doing here?" Aang wondered, pointing at the rim where indeed the girl was sitting. "Chenlian, what are you doing? Do you also want to offer a panda lilly to someone?" He asked, taking one of those rare flowers and sniffing it.

"Aang... as if I had that kind of luxury..." She sneered showing the crater full of lava that was slowly but surely rising to the top.

"Oh no! Aunt Wu was wrong." Aang said softly, his expression full of dread and horror. He dropped his flower that fell into the lava where it burnt instantly.

"I've been there ever since I've left you, trying to do something about that. But lava is basically molten rock, and I can't earthbend. I tried to cool it down by redirecting its heat but as you can see with a constant new output of lava, my success was quite limited. It's like trying to drink up a magic self-refilling barrel. Well, you had a perfect timing. I was just thinking of going down to warn you after a two minutes' rest." When she finished, the Avatar looked at her. She had talked as if it was nothing but she was pale, sweating, her eyes were irritated and she was having breathing difficulties. Here, exposed to the poisonous gases, with a heat that should be difficult to bear for even a firebender, she had been fighting alone all this time. She should have asked for their help sooner instead of trying to do everything on her own. But it seemed she still hadn't really gotten used to having comrades with her that she could rely on.

"Those people all think they're safe. We've got to warn'em." Sokka remarked.

"There's no time to walk." Aang opened up his glider. "Grab on." He grabbed Sokka. "You too, Chenlian. You need to get away from here."

"I will stay." The firebender dissented.

"But Chenlian!"

"I will stay and do my best to delay the eruption so you can convince the villagers and arrange for their safety." The girl repeated firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't worry. I won't be too reckless and I will be careful and join you before I get caught up in the eruption. Now go!"

"Alright!" And with that Aang and Sokka launched into the air. When she was like this, she wouldn't listen to anyone, and they didn't have the time to be arguing.

The pair glided quickly down to the village and landed in the square. They walked up to Katara, who was waiting outside of Aunt Wu's door, obviously disgruntled by the fact that she wouldn't let her in after all the business she had given her... even though she didn't charge as Aang pointed out. But as Sokka reminded him, they had other things to worry about! Aunt Wu was wrong about the volcano.

"Sokka, you tried to convince me she was wrong before. It's going to take an awful lot to change my min-" The waterbender was cut off by the sound of the mountain shaking and rumbling awake. A full plume of ash and smoke was stretching to the skies. "Oh, no!" She then asked about Chenlian. They told her she had stayed up there, where she was now exposed to the abrasive volcanic ash. Katara wanted to go and get her but Aang stopped her. He was worried too but he trusted Chenlian and that she would be fine. More than that, they had to make sure not to waste her efforts.

They addressed the villagers on the square. Sokka tried to warn them about Aunt Wu being wrong and that the volcano could blow any second but without success as they dismissed it as another attempt to discredit her. After all, he was 'Mr. Science and Reason Lover' who couldn't believe in something like fortunetelling. Then it was Katara's turn. She wanted to believe Aunt Wu and her predictions as much as they did, but her brother and Aang saw the lava with their own eyes. The calm man from earlier wisely retorted that he had heard Aunt Wu's prediction with his own ears. The Avatar airbended himself onto the roof of Aunt Wu's house.

"Please listen to us! You are all in danger! And we have to get out of here. You can't rely on Aunt Wu's prediction. You have to take fate into your own hands."

"Look!" Sokka pointed at the mountain as the earth shook again. "Can your fortunetelling explain that?"

"Can your science explain why it rains?" The red shoes man laughed mockinggly.

"Yes! Yes, it can!" The Water Tribesman replied, annoyed, and completely lacking convincing power, judging how the crowd started dispersing and returning to their homes. Katara remarked at last that they wouldn't listen to reason. The monk flew back to them. They won't listen to reason, but they will listen to Aunt Wu. It was the problem, but also the solution. They were going to take fate in their own hands... and for that they would need to borrow Aunt Wu's cloud reading book.

Katara and Sokka were standing guard with guilty expressions at Aunt Wu's door while Aang and Momo went in the house via the topmost balcony. The boy was searching for the book Aang when the polished metal gong in front of him showed Meng's reflection. He saw it and jumped, startled. He turned and faced her, saying he hadn't seen her.

"You don't like me. Do you?" The girl went straight to the point. She was sad.

"Of course I like you." Aang replied. But Meng knew he didn't like her the way she liked him. "Oh. I guess not."

"It's ok. It's just really hard when you like someone, but they don't think of you that way." She reassured him. The boy hung his head. He knew what she meant. "She's beautiful, by the way."

"Huh?" The airbender blushed.

"That water tribe girl. I can see why you like her so much. She's sweet, she's a bender, and her hair seems so... manageable." She tried to mash her braids down and failed miserably. She looked crushed.

"Don't worry. You're gonna meet a great guy who's gonna completely fall for you. I know it." He put his hands on her shoulders. She thanked him. He turned to leave but then she showed him the cloud reading book she had been hiding in her robe. When he asked how she knew, she nervously admitted him she had kind of been stalking him. The girl smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, thanks. I guess." Aang blushed again.

Appa was flying through the clouds with Aang and Katara on his back. Since clouds were made of water and air, the two of them ought to be able to bend them into any shape they wanted. Katara found the symbol for volcanic doom in the fortuneteller's book, and they started bending the clouds with their graceful, dance-like movements. Below, the villagers looked up at the shifting clouds. Sokka brought Aunt Wu over to her stage and pointed at the sky, showing her what was happening.

"That's very strange. It shouldn't- Oh my!" She exclaimed, as, like all the villagers, an expression of horror appeared on her face at the sight of the skull-shaped cloud (that Aang and Katara had created). Once they were back down again, the Avatar addressed the crowd. They could still save the village if they acted fast. Fortunately, Sokka had a plan. If they dug a deep enough trench where the lava was going to flow downhill, they could channel it away from the village and to the river. All of their earthbenders were to accompany Aang. At this, one of the twins said he was an earthbender, and his brother said he was not. Just because they were twins didn't mean they were entirely identical... The rest was to use shovels. There was an explosion and they all dispersed and hurried to comply.

For hours, everyone did everything they could. The trench was several yards deep and wide, encircling the village in a crescent shape. It was night when they heard a much bigger explosion and saw rivers of lava belching forth from the crater, the most consequent one racing to them. The Avatar and his friends told everyone to hurry up and dig faster. They thought of Chenlian, like they had done all this time. But now they were REALLY worried... until they saw a flame flying in an unnatural, too controlled way. It was her!

The earthbender twins finally connected the trench to the river. They all evacuated. Chenlian soon joined her friends who alone had stayed to protect the houses. Ash was snowing down heavily.

Lava engulfed the gate on the path leading up the mountain and it burnt and crumbled away. The world had taken on the eerie red tinge of the lava, swept through a glade, consuming headstones on its way. It reached the trench and began to fill it rapidly. But the molten rock kept pouring forth from the volcano and threatened to overflow. Another explosion rocked the village. Burning ejecta was now raining down in addition to the ash. Katara and Sokka began to run, but turned to see that neither Aang nor Chenlian had moved. A huge boulder fell from the sky and into the trench, exploding. The airbender rushed forward with a furious warcry. He launched himself into the air and as the molten rock began to overflow, Aang blew the lava straight up, rather than allowing it to advance on the village. Without a single exchange, trusting in each other, the firebender started bending the heat away from the huge wave of lava while the Avatar finished cooling and solidifying it with a blast of freezing air. It was always easier to freeze a pool than a constantly bubbling source. They relaxed and assumed a meditation pose, calming themselves after the massive exertion. The Water Tribe siblings watched in awe. The mountain was still erupting, but no longer threatening the village.

"Man, sometimes I forget what powerful benders those two are. Especially Aang." Sokka commented. Katara's expression instantly changed at this, remembering Aunt Wu's words. Leaving Chenlian aside, it was true that Aang WAS a man.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

"Nothing, just that Aang – and Chenlian – are some really powerful benders." He repeated, watching the airbender and the firebender side by side, wreathed in red glow of the lava still seething behind the stone shield they had created.

"...I suppose he is..."

The next afternoon, the volcano was still smoking, but no longer erupting. Every one had gathered on the square again. Aang was standing in front of Aunt Wu and sheepishly offering her back the cloud reading book he had borrowed.

"So you messed with the clouds, did you!" She snatched the book in apparent anger and Aang cringed. Behind him, Katara looked equally guilty and sorry, while Sokka smiled and pointed at her, indicating that she was in on the cloud manipulation too. Chenlian was standing the way she always did, tall and proud. She had done nothing here that would deserve scolding. Then again, even if she had done something to make others chide her, she most likely would not have any regrets because she would have judged it to be the right choice to make.

"Very clever!" Aunt Wu suddenly laughed, reassuring everyone, and notably Aang and Katara.

"No offense, but I hope this taught everyone a lesson about not relying too much on fortunetelling." Sokka declared again. But he had underestimated the flexibility (or lack thereof) of the townspeople's minds.

"But Aunt Wu predicted the village wouldn't be destroyed, and it wasn't. She was right, after all." The calm man said with a satisfied smile.

"I hate you." The boy asserted through clenched teeth, getting right against his face.

"It's ok, Sokka. Everything's gonna be all right." His sister and other female friend said in the exact same time, taking him away by the shoulders to avoid another argument. Aang turned to the fortuneteller again. He had something to ask.

"You didn't really see love in my fortune, did you? You just told me what I wanted to hear."

"I'll tell you a little secret, young airbender. Just as you reshaped those clouds, you have the power to reshape your own destiny." Aang smiled, remembering words a certain mahogany haired girl said not long ago that sounded very similar.

"She had already seen through it all, hadn't she?" The monk looked at the firebender who was messing with Sokka, saying that technically, Aunt Wu hadn't said a thing about whether the volcano would erupt or not. She had only talked about the safety of the village.

"Right she did..." The fortuneteller smiled back. Katara was at Appa's reigns and Meng was standing in front of the bison. The Avatar leapt on the saddle.

"Goodbye everyone! It was so nice to meet you! Take care, Meng." The waterbender said her goodbyes.

"Take care!" Meng waved. Appa turned and flew away. The smile on Meng's face disappeared and was replaced by a disgusted frown. "Floozy." Just because she had given up on Aang didn't mean she had forgiven Katara for 'stealing' him from her...


	19. A scent of home

**Fight****19: A Scent of Home**

In a forest near the sea where jagged rocks were jutting out of the ocean close to the shore, Aang found a sword made out of a whale tooth. Sokka took it and recognized it for what it was: a water tribe weapon. It was obvious that it had been handled much, if the notches and scratches were any indications. He told his friend to help him look for anything else. Chenlian and Katara arrived and asked them if they had lost something. But it was the contrary. They had found something. After brushing some leaves, Sokka picked up a broken arrow. It had been burnt. Then he inspected scorch and blade marks on a tree and on the ground.

"There was a battle. Water tribe warriors ambushed a group of firebenders." He began to walk downhill as he interpreted the signs left in the earth. "The firebenders fought back, but the warriors drove them down this hill." He ran down the hill, the others in tow. They soon came to a beach. Chenlian couldn't agree more. She too had had to learn how to read such signs during her time on the run. But they had no idea what had happened after that. The trail ended here. But then Katara noticed a beached water tribe boat. They ran to it and affectionately rubbed its prow. It wasn't their dad's but it was one from his fleet. Their dad had been here!

Sitting at a table in his beloved nephew's cabin, Iroh enjoyed a cup of tea before pouring some more in the prince's cup...

"Ahh! See, Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well being." The old man said contentedly. However, just as Zuko raised the cup to his lips, a shock caused the drink to splash all over his face... A moment of quiet... He bristly wiped it away and went to see the cause of the commotion. On the foredeck, a young, beautiful dark haired woman had appeared riding a massive and furred animal she handled with a whip. The sturdy crewmembers, still holding a firebending stance, scattered, intimidated. The woman looked as fierce as her beast. She ordered them to get back. They were after a stowaway.

"There are no stowaways on my ship." Zuko, who had just arrived with his uncle close behind, contradicted her. The monster ripped out a chunk of deck plating and hurled it, the prince and his subordinates ducking just in time. It stuck its head into the gaping hole and sniffed. It was like it could see through smells. It followed the stowaway's odor to a barrel that fell over and a man crawled out, whimpering. The man climbed out onto the foredeck and attempted to run away but the monster ran after him and, twice, quickly whipped the back of his neck with its tongue. He fell instantly onto the deck, conscious but paralyzed, before the two royals' amazed looks.

When Zuko questioned her, the woman picked the man and informed him the paralysis was only temporary. The toxins were going to wear off in about an hour. But by then he'd be in jail and she'd have her money. The prince (not very nicely) asked her for more detailed explanations. The bounty hunter bragged that her shirshu could smell a rat a continent away. Iroh admired her, impressed. She cracked her whip and the shirshu bolted off the ship and down the dock. Iroh stroked his chin, very impressed, an appreciative (and devious) smile on his lips. He had always been a lover of beauty and strength. His nephew glared at him.

It was night. The four youths had set camp on the beach, close to the water tribe boat. Katara and Aang were already sleeping, Chenlian was resting but not sleeping and Sokka was tending the fire in silence, lost in thought. He was remembering this day when, two years ago, his face painted for war, he was struggling to carry his sleeping bag and gear toward the boats. His father, Hakoda, had seen this and stopped him. He wasn't old enough to go to war and he knew that.

"I'm strong! I'm brave! I can fight! Please, dad!" He had pleaded.

"Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now that's here protecting your sister." Hakoda had put a hand on his son's shoulder. The boy's eyes had started watering. He didn't understand. "Someday you will." And the man had strongly held his son in his arms. Sokka had dropped his sleeping bag and hugged his father back. "I'm going to miss you so much." The man had said. Although he was a skilled warrior and an excellent strategist, where he was going, there was no guarantee of survival. Nor was it possible to know when he would be able to see his loved ones again.

Sokka stared at the fire for another moment before hearing a sound and standing up, asking who was there. A bandaged water tribe man approached the camp.

"Sokka?" The man was surprised.

"Bato?" And Sokka was just as incredulous.

"Bato!" Katara exclaimed, rushing to him.

"Sokka! Katara!" Bato hugged them both. "It is so good to see you two! Oh, you've grown so much." He then looked at the two he didn't know and Aang and Chenlian introduced themselves. The siblings asked where their dad was, but unfortunately, he wasn't there. He and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now. The wind picked up and they all shivered. "This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside." He put his arms around Katara and Sokka's shoulderd and motioned the others to follow. Chenlian put the fire out and they all walked away.

As they arrived at a monastery complex, Bato told them that after he had been wounded, their father had carried him to this abbey where the sisters had cared for him ever since. He introduced the siblings to the Superior as Hakoda's children who had been traveling with the Avatar. He had found them by his boat.

"Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey." The Superior bowed. Aang bowed too.

"Thank you! It's truly an honor to be here. If there's anything-"

"What smells so good, Bato?" Sokka interrupted his friend, sniffing the air. Bato explained that the sisters crafted ointments and perfumes. "Perfume? Maybe we could dump some on Appa? Because he stinks so much! Am I right?" He cracked again. Nobody laughed or even showed the faintest trace of amusement on their faces.

"You have your father's wit." The older warrior commented. It didn't sound like a compliment...

They soon entered the room where he had been staying. As they examined the comforts, the siblings were VERY pleased to see how much it looked like their home. Everything was here, even the pelts!

"Yeah, nothing's more comforting than dead animal skins." The airbender agreed sarcastically. Momo hopped down and examined the head of a bear skin rug. The mouth of the bear closed suddenly, scaring Momo into climbing back up onto Aang's shoulder. The three sat down around the pot under which a fire was burning. Katara opened the lid.

"No way! Stewed sea prunes?" She was more and more delighted. Bato offered her to help herself. Sokka fondly remembered that their dad could eat a whole barrel of these things. The waterbender handed Aang and Chenlian their bowls. He smelled it and, disgusted, put the untouched bowl of stew beside him. The lemur tasted it, spat it back out and ran away. Such a dish wasn't to the firebender's taste either, but she had spent enough time in the North Pole to grow accustomed to it. And so the Southern Water Tribe people started reminiscing...

"Bato, is it true you and Dad lassoed an arctic hippo?"

"It was your father's idea. He just dragged me along. Well, the hippo did the dragging."

"Hey, I ride animals too! One time there was this giant eel-" But again, the Avatar was cut off.

"So who was it that came up with the great blubber fiasco?"

"You knew about that?"

"Everyone does."

"What's that story?"

"It's a long one, Aang, some other time."

"You and Dad had so many hilarious adventures."

"Not all of which were hilarious at the time, but everything's funny with hindsight. Aang, put that down, it's ceremonial and very fragile." Bato told the child off for wearing some kind of animal skin headdress. The airbender put it back on the wall and walked off, dejected and unnoticed, exept by Chenlian who had been watching quietly all the time and surveying his expressions while the others continued. He sat down, back to the wall, near the door where Momo joined him.

"Was it you or Dad that put an octopus on your head and convinced Gran-Gran you were a water spirit?"

"Your dad wore the octopus, but..." He then added in a sinister tone: "**I** did the spooky voice."

That same night, in a three story tavern with many windows and packed with all kinds of people, someone was thrown through the wall above the door. June was arm-wrestling a beefy man... who was sweating in his attempt to best the beautiful bounty hunter while she did not even appear to be trying. Suddenly, Zuko appeared, forcing his way through the crowd.

"Out of my way! Step aside, filth!" He asked, as kindly as usual, and followed by Iroh, who, with a smile, addressed the people his nephew has just thrust aside.

"He means no offense! I'm sure you bathe regularly." They went to the table where June was arm-wrestling, and the muscular man still grunting and struggling against her grip. They needed to talk to her.

"Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy and Uncle Lazy." She greeted them. Iroh laughed heartily for a moment before the bounty hunter ended the contest with one swift movement. The crowd erupted in cheers and a lot of money changed hands, much of it ending up in a big pile in front of the young woman.

"Your beast trashed my ship. You have to pay me back." Zuko demanded.

"Aww, I'd love to help you out, but I'm a little short on money." She raked in the pile of money before telling the crowd: "Drinks on me!" They all cheered again.

"Money isn't what I had in mind." The exiled prince grabbed her hand as she raised her cup to her lips. The three of them left and went to the shirshu right outside the tavern. "I need you to find someone." He held Katara's necklace.

"What happened? Your girlfriend ran off on you?"

"It's not the girl I'm after, it's the bald monk she's traveling with."

"And his girlfriend's not the girl who owns the necklace, but the girl who's also travelling with the girl who owns the necklace. Well, she has also run off on him so he's after her too..." Iroh corrected. His nephew glared at him.

"Whatever you say." The woman replied like she couldn't care less.

"If you find them, I'll consider the damage to my ship paid for." Zuko offered (ordered) before he turned his uncle... "And Chenlian's NOT my girlfriend." He denied, a little too vehemently for someone who should not be caring.

"Heh! Forget it." June turned and began to climb into her saddle.

"Plus we'll pay your weight in gold." The retired general skillfuly held her back. She smiled, got down and walked over to him.

"Make it your weight and we got a deal."

"You got it!" Iroh laughed and the bounty hunter grabbed the necklace from Zuko's hand and told her new employers to get on. She let the shirshu smell it, jumped into the saddle in front of Zuko and Iroh and they toof off.

In Bato's room, Aang was still slumped against the wall away from the others, his eyes closed. Chenlian had joined him but she was still turned toward the water tribe people, using this opportunity to know more about her companions. The way you behaved with friends was really different from the way you behaved with family. One could never take the other's place after all. The most notable change was in Katara though. She was a strong, responsible, and great girl so it wasn't really noticeable when they were travelling but now that she was beside an adult who was just like family to her, she seemed to completely let go, like a burden had been lifted off her shoulders.

"There's something I should tell you kids. I'm expecting a message from your father."

"Really?"

"When?"

"Any day now. Your father said he'd send a message when they found the rendezvous point. If you wait here until the message arrives you can come with me and see your father again."

Aang straightened up at this and looked over at his friends, clearly worried that he might lose them.

"It's been over two years since we've seen dad! That would be so incredible. Katara?"

"I do really miss him. It would be great to see dad."

The Avatar looked downcast at this, loneliness and worry on his face. He walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. Followed by Chenlian, he walked down the road away from the abbey. They didn't hear Sokka say they had to take Aang to the North Pole first, or Katara that they didn't have the time for a long detour since they didn't know how long they would have to wait for the message or how far they'd have to travel to meet their father.

"I'm sure your father would understand and be proud that his children are helping the Avatar." The man declared, just as proud of them. "And that Chenlian, she's a firebender, right?"

"Bato, Chenlian's-"

"You two who hated firebenders so much actually have one as your friend, and a firebender who should be capturing the Avatar is actually trying to to protect it... It seems things are changing... The Avatar really brings people hope. And just like a snowball can roll downhill and grow larger until it becomes an avalanche, I think you guys will be able to spread the change over the whole world. And maybe with this, we can hope that after a hundred years, the war will finally be over soon."

"I can't believe they would leave me." The Avatar muttered, sitting huddled on the prow of Bato's boat.

"Aang..."

"Chenlian... do you really think Sokka and Katara are going to leave?"

"... There's a probability... but even so, I don't think they will. Why don't you trust them? And come back soon. The weather's really starting to get chilly, especially at night. It'd be bad if the Avatar caught a cold. You must be energetic at all times. "

"You're really strict."

"That's because you guys are too laid-back." She smiled back at him. "And while I know it's not enough, I still wanted to tell you this. I'll always be there for you. And I think they will too. Whether we're near of far away; we'll always be there for you. You're not alone. That's why everything will be alright."

"Thanks." Aang felt a little comforted, like his heart had gotten warmer.

"Now let's go back. You might not feel so well hearing about their family given your circumstances but it's a chance to know more about your friends, things we wouldn't usually get to know about what they like..."

"Go ahead, I'll be back in a few seconds."

"You sure? Okay then..." And Chenlian returned to Bato's room.

_"Given your circumstances..."... huh?_ Katara and Sokka still had family left. But he had lost all of his, they were the only ones he had left. And Chenlian had also lost her parents. _"it's not enough" _It was true, for both Chenlian and him. He also needed Katara and Sokka to stay with him, just like he, Sokka and Katara were not enough for Chenlian... Then the airbender's thoughts were interrupted by an approaching Earth Kingdom soldier on an ostrich-horse. He was looking for Bato of the Water Tribe.

"Uh, I know Bato."

"Make sure he gets this." The messenger gave Aang a scroll and rode off. Aang, with Momo peering over his shoulder, opened the scroll to reveal the map to Sokka and Katara's dad. He thought of Chenlian's words... but after all; his fear was the strongest, and he crumpled the paper in anger, and stuffed it into his left sleeve, crouching back down.

"Hey everyone! Sorry I was gone so long." Aang saluted, overly cheerfully.

"Hey Aang, I didn't notice you left." Katara greeted him back. Her good mood genuine, and having not abated ever since she had first seen Bato again. And of course she could not have noticed just how weird the airbender was truly behaving since, unlike the firebender, she had not paid attention to him for a second.

"Yup, but now I'm back. Sure could go for some delicious sea prunes!" The boy continued with the same exaggerated happiness. He sat down, grabbed a bowl and began munching. After a few seconds he spat them back out, VERY disgusted, before plastering his 'I'm-very-happy-and-that-thing's-very-yummy' expression again. The Water Tribe people were looking at him strangely, but more than that, Chenlian was eyeing him suspiciously. He was hiding something, and trying to shut his feelings by acting like this...

The next day, the shirshu and its riders arrived at the ruins of Taku where the Herbalist was harvesting some plants. Miyuki tensed and hissed at the large beast.

"Out for a bit of fresh air, are we?" The old woman asked, unafraid in her casualness.

"We're looking for someone." Zuko said.

"I hope it's not Miyuki." She looked down at her white persian cat. "Miyuki, did you get in trouble with the Fire Nation again?" The cat meowed and backed away.

"The Avatar's been through here. Let's keep moving." June cracked her whip and the shirshu took off.

In the abbey's courtyard, Appa was lying down munching on hay Aang would airbend in front of him. The map fell out of Aang's sleeve. A sister picked the crumpled paper and scolded the boy who should be ashamed of himself. The Avatar looked very guilty and afraid, but was reassured when he heard she was merely angry at him for littering in the courtyard. He snatched the map and apologised, saying he would take care of it. He bowed nervously and the sister walked off. He stuffed the map back under his hood.

Bato and the children approached his boat and telling them how sentimental this ship was to him as it had been built by his father. Aang looked down and saw the tracks of the messenger's beast. He airbended the entire trail away but not before a certain mahogany-haired girl saw it, then he turned back to the others, whistling guiltily. However, he stiffened when he saw Chenlian's piercing and reprobating gaze fixed on him. She knew! She knew but she would not say anything because she wanted him to man up and speak himself. She kept staring at him insistently, silently urging him to tell the truth, and the sense of command was so strong that he could feel his defenses overcome one by one, even as the others were talking...

"Is this the boat he took you ice-dodging in?" Sokka asked Bato.

"Yeah, it's got the scar to prove it. Huh. How about you, Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice-dodging?" The man questioned back, but Katara answered that he had never got to go. Their dad had left before he was old enough. "Oh, I forgot, you were too young."

"What's ice-dodging?" Aang jumped on the safety rope, the very second before giving in to Chenlian's pressure.

"It's a rite of passage for young water tribe members. When you turn fourteen your dad takes you-... you know what?" He put a hand on Sokka's shoulder "You're about to find out." Bato smiled at him and Sokka's downcast expression also melted into a smile.

In Makapu village, people were running and screaming, fleeing the shirshu and its riders. They stopped before Aunt Wu, who looked quite serene, standing to the left of the closed circular door to her building. Zuko wanted to know why they were stopping.

"Because the girl must have spent a lot of time here."

"We have no time for this!" The prince grabbed the necklace from the woman's hand, got down and showed the animal the necklace again... and narrowly avoided getting zapped by its tongue. "Hey, watch it!" Iroh laughed.

"Oh look, he likes you." June taunted.

"Care to hear your fortune, handsome?" Aunt Wu approached and looked at Iroh almost flirtingly.

"At my age there is really only one big surprise left, and I'd just as soon leave it a mystery." The old man replied wisely. June whiped the shirshu, tha took off once again under the fortuneteller's watch.

Surrounded by treacherous rocks, Bato's boat was cutting through the waves near the shore. Its owner was explaining that ice-dodging was a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust. In their village it was done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs. Sokka wondered how they were supposed to ice-dodge without ice.

"You will be dodging those." Bato pointed ahead at a veritable thicket of stalagmite like rocks. "Sokka, you steer and call the shots. Lead wisely. Katara, you secure the mainsail. The winds can be brutal, so be brave. Aang, you control the jib, without your steady hand we all go down. Your position is about trust."

"I know that! Why wouldn't I know that? I'm the Avatar! I know about trust." The Avatar exclaimed, nervous and guilty. He pouted and folded his hands across his chest.

"And last but not least, Chenlian. You're the solid backbone supporting them all. I don't think you need instruction from me. I trust that you know where you're the most needed. And I am entrusting them to you." Bato walked over to the bow and sat down. "For this to be done right I cannot help. You pass or fail on your own."

Sokka was at the tiller, the others holding on to their respective sails. The helmsman's expression hardened.

"Aang, ease up on the jib. Katara, steady! Aang, less sail! Chenlian, need a little firebending push starboard!" The older boy, drenched by the water that had heavily sprayed him, pulled the tiller to his right so the ship would go more to the left through a narrow passage. "Katara, give him room!" The Avatar was hauling his rope, as the vessel weaved in and out of the rocks. "Aang! Helm to lee! Helm to lee!"

"What does that even mean!?"

"Sokka pushes with all his strength and you do that!" Chenlian grabbed the rope and helped him trim the jib and she raked the mast forward. All four struggled and the ship narrowly missed another rock.

"Great job!" The young water tribe warrior complimented them. However, they had just entered at high speed a dead end ringed by jagged rocks... Bato advised Sokka against it as he had already proven himself but the boy was sure they could make it. "Aang, I'm gonna need air in that sail! Chenlian, you heat the air Aang's bending, but not too much, be careful! Katara, I want you to bend as much water as you can between us and those rocks! Now!" Sokka ordered with determination. The airbender started pushing wave after wave of air into the sail, making them pass through the constant stream of heat the firebender was releasing while the waterbender raised the ship up on an accelerating wave of water. The wave carried the speeding ship safely over the rocks. When it was over, Sokka fell back on the tiller with a sigh of relief. They were all smiling.

Back on the beach, Bato scooped dark blue face paint with his bandaged hand out of a bowl.

"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks. For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned." He marked Sokka's head with a dot and a half circle mark above it. "For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us." He marked her head with a crescent shaped mark. "For Chenlian, the mark of the-"

"No. It would truly be a great honor, but I can't accept it. Because even now, I still belong to the Fire Nation. And even without marks, those feelings will never disappear and I swear to always help them in any way I can." A sincere and apologetic smile adorned the firebender's face. Bato smiled comprehensively and turned to Aang. "And for Aang, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the water tribe." He marked Aang's forehead with a half circle mark.

"I can't." The boy said suddenly.

"Of course you can!" Katara disagreed.

"No, you can't trust me." He rubbed off the mark and backsed away, his head hung low. The blue-eyed girl fearfully asked him what he was talking about. "A messenger gave this to me for Bato." He showed the crumpled scroll. Katara took it and looked at it and drew in a breath of surprise. "You have to understand, I was afraid you'd-"

"This is the map to our father! You had it the whole time!? How could you? Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own! I'm going to find dad." Sokka took the map stalked away angrily.

"Now Sokka, I think you should-" Bato tried to temper him but the still outraged boy wouldn't let him.

"Katara, are you with me?" He turned to his sister. Katara looked for a time at Aang's hopeful face before lowering her gaze. In the end, she was too hurt and disappointed.

"I'm with you, Sokka." She turned away.

"Chenlian?"

"...I'm staying with Aang." The amber-eyed girl answered after a pause. The three water tribe members left Aang and Chenlian alone on the beach.

The next day, Sokka, Katara, and Bato were putting their backpacks on in the abbey's main courtyard, Aang was sitting on Appa's head in the background looking dejected and Chenlian was on the saddle. It was up to the siblings to choose what they really wanted to do. But somehow, she doubted things would simply end like this between them, and she felt she had no say in it. Or was it that she trusted these siblings so much that she didn't feel the need to say anything? Katara walked sadly over to Aang.

"Good luck."

"Okay. You too." She walked out of the gate of the abbey, Bato and Sokka following. The Superior approached Aang.

"Guess I should be moving on." The boy reluctantly resolved.

"That would be best." The older woman agreed sadly. The Avatar shook Appa's reigns, who walked them out of the gate. The boy and the girl looked to the left at the retreating figures of their friends in the distance. Momo was clinging to one of Appa's horns.

"It's not that I particularly want to rub salt on your wound, but you know it was a really stupid move, right?" Chenlian asked, referring to his hiding of the map.

"I know..." Aang sighed dejectedly, looking even more miserable. The firebender felt a light pang of pathos. Even if she did not want to, she could not help but speak in this brusque and blunt manner, and wound people. She sighed too, inhaled and exhaled deeply, as if preparing herself or gathering her courage or determination.

"But it's not like I don't know where you come from... There was a time when I was riddled with a similar fear."

"You know fear?!"

"I'm human too, you know." She glared sideways at him for his rude comment.

"Sorry!"

"But since I always hide it, I forgive you."

"Errr... thanks..."

"Anyway, it happened before I met you guys. For a long time, I wavered a lot about whether I should tell you I was a firebender. I was really scared you would reject me. But then I thought about what you'd feel when you'd know I'd been lying to you. And I didn't want that, would you come to trust me, I didn't want to betray that trust. That's why I gathered all my courage and told you the truth. I was ready to keep trying until I convinced you. Trusting people is very difficult, you can't expect them to trust you without trusting them first... and there's always the possibility of being betrayed even if you trust. But if it's these two, I think it should be alright to trust them, that they'll forgive you and come back to you." She smiled kindly. Aang returned the smile, although his was tinted with sadness and hope.

The shirshu burst through the gates of the Abbey, scaring the sisters making perfume, and circled in the courtyard where Katara's smell could be seen all over. They were getting close. June whipped her beast again and it ran up the path the water tribe people had taken...

Bato and his two young companions were walking along that same road. In the distance, a wolf howled. They stopped to listen.

"That wolf sounds so sad." Katara remarked. Her brother thought It was probably wounded.

"No, it's been separated from the pack. I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the water tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family and being apart from them was more painful than my wounds." Bato hung his head. And Sokka bore the same sad expression. He had felt the same thing when that day two years ago, he had watched his father's fleet depart into the mist.

"We need to go back. I want to see dad, but helping Aang is where we're needed the most." Sokka decided, after a pause.

"You're right." His sister agreed with a smile. Now, their family did not only consist of their tribe members. Aang, Chenlian, Sokka, Katara, and Appa and Momo... each of them had become irreplaceable to the others. And after all, the siblings could not leave like this. They all needed to be there to accomplish the things only they could do. And the children Bato, their dad, and the rest of the fleet had left had become fine adults who knew where they were the most needed. The recovering man put a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Your father will understand. And I know he's proud of you." He said, as proud as their father and acting as his proxy. Sokka thanked him. "I know where to go from here." He gave the young man the map. "Take this in case you want to find us. I'll leave a message at the rendezvous point."

Appa, Aang, Chenlian and Momo were on the beach near Bato's boat. The airbender had wanted to wait like the firebender had suggested but after all, it looked like they were going to go alone... Suddenly, the Superior rushed up to them.

"Avatar! You must leave!"

"Okay, I get it. Everybody wants me gone." The boy shot back, sourly.

"A group of people came to the abbey looking for you."

"Who?!" Aang questioned vehemently, alarmed. Chenlian's expression had also changed and her position had sharply shifted from an apparently laidback one to a tense one. She was tightly gripping the saddle.

"A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster and a young man with a scar."

"Zuko..." The two teens instantly recognized the man from the description. The Superior told them the beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow them. "A necklace?" And a second later, they remembered, and their eyes widened, filled with terror for their water tribe friends. "Huh! Katara!"

Sokka and Katara were walking down the path when Sokka motioned for his sister to stop as a galloping sound was heard. The shirshu landed behind them and they ran, the monster and its riders in pursuit, until the siblings were cornered against the steep rock wall. They had found the owner of the necklace.

"Is this your girlfriend? She's too pretty for you." June commented.

"Actually, it's not that one. It's the girl with red hair... who's not here." Iroh corrected her as his nephew hopped down and approached the cornered water tribe members.

"Where is he? Where's the Avatar? And where is Chenlian?" He interrogated them.

"We split up! He's long gone." Sokka glared back defiantly. "And you wouldn't get to him anyway since Chenlian's protecting him." He taunted the exiled prince. For a second, Zuko's eyebrow twitched.

"How stupid do you think I am?" The scarred young man retorted, refusing to believe.

"Pretty stupid." The blue-eyed warrior smirked before grabbing his sister by the arm. "Run!" He screamed like a girl. They dashed, but the shirshu paralyzed them both with its tongue before they got very far. They collapsed, unable to move. The animal started seeking a different scent... and found the map Aang had held. The siblings were loaded onto the shirshu too and the beast leapt down the woods.

It soon blasted again through the hastily repaired gate of the abbey. The sisters ran away screaming in all directions. The shirshu began walking around in a circle, sniffing until it looked up into the air to see the scent spiraling around. Suddenly Aang arrived on his glider, followed by Chenlian. He flew up to the monster, which started to jump up to snap at him, in the same time, the mahogany haired girl blasted fire at its paws. Not only did the shirshu miss Aang, but frightened, it reared too high and managed to dump its riders onto the floor of the courtyard as it fell flat on his back. Elated, Katara cried their names. Chenlian shot a controlled blast at Zuko and June to get them away from her friends. They avoided and bolted back up. The two firebenders in exile faced each other and assumed a fighting stance while June remounted.

"So THAT one's your girlfriend huh? And she even left you for the Avatar... that must have hurt... No wonder she did though. She's way too good for you." The woman with the coiled snake tattoo on her shoulder could not help but taunt before going after Aang. However, Appa's head rammed right into the shirshu's flank, knocking its rider away and smashing the strange beast against the wall, blowing a large hole. The bison had a fiery grin on his face and breathed heavily out his nostrils.

Chenlian and Zuko were locked in stares, waiting for the other to attack first, as if testing each other out... until the young man could no longer bear it. He had to capture the Avatar and if she was to stop him then... He fired at her, but in a circular movement, she seemed to catch his flames before twirling like a waterbender, and her hands curling into fists, send them right back at him, their power, size, speed, and intensity doubled after she had added her own twist. He protected himself but was nonetheless propelled backward.

During that time, June had been woken up by Iroh and was attacking Aang again, who kept flying and leaping around at high speed, avoiding the shirshu's natural paralyzing weapon, trying to retaliate in the same time with blasts of air he would hurtle with his staff. Appa was also trying to help and knock the beast away with powerful condensed gusts he would bend with his tail. Seeing that, Chenlian also went to help. She blocked the monster's path by shooting a large ball of fire right before it. It reared again. She shot at it and it jumped down to avoid it. She kept sending jets, balls, and arches of flames, keeping her distance from her that long darting tongue. But although this strategy allowed her to stay safe and skillfully seal and control the monster's movements and keep it away from Aang, it also gave the already fast, quick-reflexed animal more time to dodge any attack on itself.

In the meantime, Zuko had engaged the Avatar in combat. The boy broke the plumes of flames by twirling his staff, just like the teen dodged all the gusts of wind. They brought the fight to close combat and the prince managed to knock the staff out of his enemy's hands. They traded several rounds of blows, all of which missed or blocked. The two fired volleys simultaneously, their attacks collided and the force blew backwards onto the roofs behind them. Aang groggily got up on the roof and his eyes went wide as he saw Zuko charging at him down the spine of the roof. The prince bended a vertical arch of fire at the Avatar who flipped over his head to land behind him. They exchanged blows with the young monk eventually knocking Zuko all the way back to the tower. When the firebender recovered and opened his eyes, it was to see Aang charging at him and bending air at him like he had bended fire earlier. Zuko avoided and jumped down onto the courtyard again. The shirshu dodged Chenlian's shot by jumping over it and onto the roof, replacing the prince as the boy's opponent... although it had been singed in many places. The bounty hunter's control over it was impressive. Any other beast would have fled. Again, Appa would use his tail to create gales to blow the shirshu away. But it was too quick and he only managed to blow tiles and wood... part of them falling on Sokka just as he was getting some feeling back, making him yowl in pain.

On the courtyard, the two firebenders were facing each other. But this time, Zuko was much more cautious and focused. He brought the duel to closer combat so he wouldn't fall prey to her large and devastating attacks (as she wouldn't risk him being too severely injured or dying), but not close enough for her to use her all too dangerous hand-to-hand fighting style. With a somewhat close to mid stance, the prince punched and kicked fire and tried to break her roots as he had learned. But after all, even that was impossible. She was already strong back then but with the real battle experience she had gained while fighting off pursuers, she had become even more skilled. Her footwork and elusiveness were nothing like before. All his attacks were parried, diverted or thrown back at him, and yet, she was still carefully watching the Avatar... while it took all his concentration just to stay out of her reach. It galled him. It maddened him. He had grown stronger too, much more than before! So why? Did he mean so little to her?! Suddenly, as she was looking at the airbender, her eyes widened. Zuko noticed and also looked. And during that second's worth of inattention, Chenlian closed the distance, caught his arm, bent his wrist, and aimed a firebending enhanced kick at his chest to propel him far and make him crash against the wall.

She lost no time and went to help Aang who was trapped in a corner of the courtyard. June had calculated his escape route and managed to block it. With her feet Chenlian shot flames at the shirshu's legs like a rising tide. And as intended it got away from Aang and fled on the roof. The firebender fired blast after blast at the running animal, careful enough to hinder its movements without killing it or injuring it too severely knowing the monk would dislike it, especially if she did it in front of him. It might be something she couldn't have cared less about in the past. But at these people's contact, she had changed. Well, she had hoped to drive it away just like this but it seemed she would have to take care of its rider first... And propelling herself with jets of fire, Chenlian went after the bounty hunter... as that woman was too skilled to be defeated with long ranged attacks. She had to knock her off in hand to hand combat. Appa was also helping. While away from harm and trouble, letting the lively young ones about doing their businesses, Iroh had taken to testing out perfumes nearby. He found one he liked, looked from side to side to make sure no one was looking and then tucked the bottle into his robe, a mischievous smile on his face.

Meantime, the Avatar and the prince had started dueling once again, this time a covered well in-between them. Zuko volleyed shot after shot, all dodged by Aang who suddenly noticed Katara's necklace in the teen's hand.

"You've got something I want!" The airbender affirmed. The prince attacked again, soon destroying the well's covering. They danced around on the lip of the well, neither one able to gain decisive advantage over the other. Aang kept trying to grab the necklace, but failed each time, until his opponent lunged after him and missed. As he passed, the monk slipped his foot through the loop of the necklace, catching it, stepped on Zuko's back with his other foot, pushing him down on the ground, and then disappeared down the well, with Zuko bolting up and firing a huge plume of flame after him in frustration. However, the prince was launched into the air as the airbender reappeared atop a huge pillar of water and landed further away. The water from the well rained back down on them, and Zuko fell back with it. The firebender quickly recovered and went after the Avatar again. They exchanged blows again but the prince had started getting the hang of Aang's movements and maneuvers and soon managed to hold him against the wall and keep blocking his escape routes, although he was still unable to hit a decisive strike.

Noticing the airbender's predicament, Chenlian jumped between him and Zuko and dissipated the teen's fire, giving her young friend the chance to withdraw, but before he could, a tongue darted and almost hit him. The prince's attacks became much fiercer, relentless, attacking even when he was defending. Because of their closeness, both Aang's and Chenlian's movements were hindered. Aware of their disadvantageous situation, the female firebender was going to put an end to it by forming a protective wall of flames and hurl it at Zuko like a wave but changed her mind (or rather, found it no longer necessary) when she remarked what the sisters and the water tribe siblings were going to do...

The Superior had put some kind of perfume under their noses, enabling them to move better. Sokka had understood that shirshu 'saw' with its nose and immediately devised the way to counter it. They were going to give it something to look at... And so Sokka and the sisters had gathered their jars of perfume that they dumped onto the ground. Katara waterbended the highly odoriferous liquid into a huge sheet, moves it over the beast, and dropped it. The monster shook off the liquid, but was now terribly confused. Chenlian, whose back was to the animal, partly hiding it from Zuko's view, waited and ducked just in time thanks to her instinct as the tongue lashed in the direction... and hit the prince who collapsed. June was going to crack her whip but was hit too.

"June! Noooo!" Iroh yelled dramatically, catching the falling bounty hunter and both fell on the ground, with the woman on top of him... and his arm around her waist... The shirshu was still on a rampage. It broke a few more jars, pawed the tiles of the roof of one of the buildings, then jumped over the wall and disappeared. Aang picked up his staff, he was joined by Chenlian, Katara and Sokka.

"Uncle? I didn't see **_you_** get hit with the tongue." Zuko wondered, laying flat.

"Shh!" The old man closed his again, a satisfied smile on his lips... as opposed to June who opened her eyes, clearly displeased.

"So, where do we go?" Aang asked. Everyone was on Appa's saddle. The bison was currently flying north-east.

"We're getting you to the North Pole." Katara answered. Her brother agreed, they had lost too much time as it was. But the boy was still unsure. Didn't they want to see their father?

"Of course we do, Aang. But, you're our family too, and right now, you need us more." Sokka replied.

"And we need you." The waterbender added.

"I wish I could give you a little piece of home, Katara. Something to remind you-"

"I'll be okay."

"Still, just a little trinket. Maybe something like this!" Aang jumped up, proudly offering Katara her necklace, a huge smile on his face. She grabbed the chocker and put it on happily.

"Aang, how did you get that?!"

"Zuko asked to be sure I got it to you." The boy was still smiling.

"Oh, that's so sweet of Zuko." She added in mock appreciation, going along with the joke. "Would you give him a kiss for me when you see him?"

"Sure!" The monk exclaimed gladly. Katara kissed his cheek. He blushed and twiddled his thumbs. Chenlian chuckled lightly. Those guys were only joking. Of course they were... for she was the only one in this group who knew of Zuko's truly sweet sides... although she didn't know whether he still had them or not...

* * *

**Author's note: alright, I've caught up. My usual 8 chapters difference between what I post and what I write. From now on, I'll only post a chapter when I finish the one I'm writing so the update speed will significantly drop. Only five chapters till the end of the first season. **


	20. Baptism of fire

**Fight** **20: Baptism of Fire **

It was late afternoon. Momo landed on the forest floor and looked around. He spotted nothing suspicious and took off, failing to notice a blurry shadow that scurried along among the trees, in the same direction he had taken. The lemur regrouped with everyone, who, for once, had decided to walk.

"No, Aang. I won't teach you firebending yet. You're not ready. Ask me again once you've properly learned waterbending and earthbending." Chenlian declared adamantly.

"But why?"

"If you don't shape air or water into a blade, those elements will simply brush against people, or knock them if they have enough strength. But fire..." She took a branch and burned it to ashes. "...will just as simply destroy you. It hasn't been long since you've started learning waterbending, and without the stability and firmness earthbending will bring you, someone like you, without a shred of restraint or self-control, would only become a danger for everyone... and especially those closest to him... if he tried to firebend. And I can't let that happen. I won't teach you now." The firebender asserted again resolutely. "And you guys, and especially you, Aang-" She poked her index finger against his chest. "- are forbidden to go into town. The pursuit is hot on our trail and I don't want you to make a scene, attract unwanted attention, and near capture again like you always do. I know we're short on food so I'll be handling this issue right now. But you must stay put! Is that understood?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The airbender reluctantly agreed. And so Chenlian entrusted the two over-optimists to Sokka while she left to gather some food in the forest.

The youngsters arrived at a crossroad where stood a four-sided notice board. Katara commented this should give them a good idea of what was around here. Aang saw a flyer that particularly interested him about the Fire Days Festival where there would be Fire Nation cultural exhibits... jugglers, benders, magicians... He said he wanted to 'study firebenders' since Chenlian wouldn't let him 'study' her (but the truth was he just wanted to have fun at the festival). Sokka argued that Chenlian must know better than him since she was a great firebender, and they should listen to her and he completely agreed with her. And he also asked him to think twice about going to the festival and showed him the wanted posters on the other side. There were seven: one of Aang, one of Chenlian, one of the Blue Spirit, one of the Dragon Empress (dressed in rich robes), and one of the Dragon Princess (dressed in an outfit similar to the Blue Spirit's but with the same mask as the Dragon Empress) and two others that featured deserters. Aang declared that he was the Avatar so it was up to him to decide. Katara wasn't sure but in the end she sided with the airbender: it wouldn't hurt to check, they would go disguised and if it looked like trouble, they would leave.

"Yeah, because we always leave before we get into trouble. Hey, wait! Didn't you hear what Chenlian said?! It's too dangerous to walk into a Fire Nation town, especially when they're all fired up with their... you know... fire."

"She didn't say that last part... and I never thought I'd see you side with a firebender to that extent..." His sister voiced her surprise, although from her tone it was obvious she didn't view that as a bad thing.

"You know that she's not just some firebender, she's Chenlian, and if we agree so often that's because we're the only two sensible people in the group! Huh? Hey!" And he ran after the others who had gone on ahead and completely ignored him.

As soon as she had left them, Chenlian had gone to catch her first game: a man who had been tailing them for some time. She fell on her prey like a leopard and immobilised it. She demanded to know who he was and why he had been following them. He introduced himself as Chey. He had deserted the Fire Nation and now served a man, a firebending genius, a myth, the first to have deserted and lived, and he wanted to guide them to him so he could teach the Avatar as he had taught Chenlian. Chey knew about her since that man had once told him about her. It would be perfect, wouldn't it?

As the young girl detected no lie, she let him go but told him it was no use. If he really served him, he should know that. That man would never teach him anyway. He would say the same thing as her: not until the Avatar has learned the two other bending styles. He was not ready. And she told him to leave and return to that person and not to go to the Avatar and to forget he had seen them. Chey left and the firebender started her real hunt for food, animals, wild herbs, berries, tubers, mushrooms, nuts...

It was dusk when the teens and Appa came out of the forest on a slight hill. In the distance, a walled Fire Nation town could be seen. Aang told Appa and Momo to stay out of sight here while they went to the festival. The lemur flew up and then dropped down into a small bush. Appa followed and tried to hide behind the bush, which was about two feet tall and barely hid his muzzle and eyes. Then the Avatar told his human friends to ready disguises. Sokka and Katara pulled the hood of their dark cloaks over their heads. And at last, Aang, pulled his red hood up over the top of his head in a completely ineffective and silly attempt to change his appearance. He grinned in some embarrassment at his friends.

"It's like you're a whole different person." Sokka commented sarcastically, his arms folded. Katara giggled. In the end, the young warrior could not overturn their decision but if he went with them, he could try to bring the damage down to a minimum.

"Let's go." The airbender decided. They walked down the hill towards the town, unaware that they were being followed by a masked man, the same shadow from earlier.

The three entered the main square. Above them were colorful fireworks, around them were frolicking children, before them a colorful dragon was slithering around on its many human legs, and a number of people wore colorful masks... As Katara noticed, they would need new disguises if they wanted to better sneak into the crowd. Sokka was skeptical and annoyed. Where were they gonna get masks like that? And as if a stroke of fate, they heard a merchant calling "Get your genuine Fire Festival masks here!" The two benders rushed over. The ponytailed warrior commented (not very happily) it had been surprisingly easy. The trio took a mask each. Sokka had a happy mask and Aang a sad one. Katara switched them, revealing Sokka's sour face and Aang's wide smile, the masks now matching the temperament of their owner. They walked into the square. The little monk pointed at a food stall. Sokka impatiently ran to the stall and asked the seller what he had. Now that he was here, might as well enjoy it and not waste this occasion, right? The man answered he had the best flaming fire flares in town. The young man grabbed a small bag and the still steamy and pipping hot flakes and started stuffing himself before screaming and blowing steam from his mouth. He partially removed his mask to cool his tongue.

"Aaahhh! Hot! Hot!"

"'Flaming fire flakes' hot? What do you know." His sister crossed her arms. Next, Aang took them to a puppet show where a number of children were sitting on benches and avidly watching the booth. A puppet of the Fire Lord appeared and the youthful audience cheered.

"Don't worry loyal citizens! No one can surprise the Fire Lord!" Behind him an earthbender puppet rose up, with a rock at the ready. The children in the audience who start to cry out warnings or showing fear for their lord. But then the Fire Lord puppet turned suddenly and torched the earthbender puppet. The youngsters cheered. The three teens turned away from the puppet show and headed towards another stage where was a single performer watched by a large crowd. The performer was a young and handsome firebender who was manipulating fire from large basins sitting atop four pillars for the crowd's delight. He concluded by extinguishing his fire and producing a small flock of white birds who flew off the stage. Aang partially removed his mask for a better view. He was grinning broadly and absolutely wanted to learn that trick. The magician thanked the crowd and asked for a volunteer from the audience. The Avatar excitedly raised his hand and offered his services (he wanted to get a closer look... or so he said...) but the siblings were against it, even Katara thought they shouldn't attract attention... but just as she said that the performer pointed at her and asked whether she wanted to participate. She backed away and shook her head negatively.

"Awww, she's shy. Leeet's give her some encouragement, folks!" People clapped their hands and one even pushed Katara over to the edge of the stage where the magician grabbed her hand and hauled her up. Aang was disappointed that he had not been chosen. The prestidigitator sat the girl on a chair at the center of the stage. "This next trick is called 'Taming the Dragon.'" Then he added to Katara. "You will be my captured princess!" He tied her up with a maroon ribbon he had 'magically' produced (from his sleeve) and bended a dragon shaped flame that would fly in circles above them. "Don't worry, young maiden! I will tame this fiery beast!" He attached a fiery rope around the beast's neck. "It's too strong, I can't hold it!" Of course, it was only an act, but Aang took it seriously and wanted to help Katara. Sokka stopped him.

"No, we don't want to make a scene!"

"The rope, it's breaking!" The performer exclaimed.

Chenlian found Appa lying behind a bush, and Momo hiding in that same bush. She also found a message pinned to a tree, and that Momo had been charged with a message for her. Aang's letter read that they had also gone to look for food. The other was from Chey, that they had gone to the festival. One letter in each hand she looked from one to the other to the city below. She hung her head, trembling, crumpled the papers in her fists that started burning to ashes.

"Those... damned... rascals!" She suddenly shouted at the sky, angry flames burning around her fists and in her eyes. "Momo, Appa, come on!" The firebender jumped on Appa's head, Momo flew on her shoulder. "Yip yip!" Chenlian snapped the reins and the bison took off with a grunt even as she kept ranting. After what happened to their people, and to them on this journey, you'd think they'd be more careful! You'd think they'd respect her and her opinion as an expert! Didn't they learn any sense of danger?! Escaping as soon as she was out of sight... were they damn brats on a field trip?! Surely she hadn't been strict enough and properly insisted on the risks...

On the stage the rope dissolved and the fire dragon charged right at Katara, who cringed and cries out. Before Sokka and the masked man could restrain him, Aang leapt in front of Katara, his mask falling, and he bended a whirlwind that dissipated the flames in a shower of confetti.

"Hey, you tryin' to upstage me, kid?" The performer asked in a low voice from the stage floor where he had fallen. The crowd started booing. The airbender attempted to amuse them with a lame dance while Sokka untied his sister. Suddenly, someone from the audience recognised the kid as the Avatar who froze, a look of horror on this face. Three Fire Nation guards came running at the mention of his name and began muscling through the crowd to the stage. The siblings had taken off their masks.

"I think it's time to go." The warrior commented wisely.

"Follow me! I can get ya outta here!" A man in dark clothing beckoned them from behind, prompting them to follow. They ran through the broken wall just as the guards burst onstage. The masked man threw a smoke bomb at the guards' feet, obscuring the view. The four ran through squared and alley, hotly pursued by groups of guards. Aang called Appa with his bison whistle. They followed the stranger into an alley whose other entrance was blocked by soldiers that ran in after them. The unknown man threw another exploding smoke bomb and then run past the teens into another alley, which was in fact a dead end. They looked up and saw Chenlian and Appa flying toward them. They had arrived just in time!

The bison landed between the kids and the guards, and flapped his beaver tail. The resulting gale blew the soldiers far out of the alley to land in a confused heap. They ran back in too late: the flying animal was already airborne. The man bit the top off a bomb-like object, whose fuse lit, and he threw it at the fireworks supply... fireworks that shot up and blew in an awesome display of colors and sounds, much to the unknowing crowd's delight. Appa's tail caught a line of red triangular flags that fell atop a pillar with the Fire Nation emblem which immediately caught fire, giving rise to another round of applause and cheers. On Appa, the masked man removed his hood. Chenlian got angry at him for being here but the others asked her to forgive him since he had saved them. She sharply told them to keep quiet as such a thing would have never happened and they wouldn't have been in danger in the first place if they had simply listened to her and stayed put like she had instructed them. This wasn't a field trip! They were on the run from the Fire Nation! There was a time for fun and a time for caution! How stupid were they to increase and the risks and attract attention like that! It was like they wanted to be captured! Was that it?! They looked sheepish and sincerely apologetic for a time before Aang and Sokka complimented the man for his idea to set off the firewords and his skills with explosives who shortly responded that he was familiar.

"You're a Fire Nation soldier!" Sokka exclaimed, surprised.

"**Was**. My name's Chey."

Night had completely fallen. Appa was dozing. Everyone had gathered around a campfire (lit by the firebender of course). Chey began talking.

"I serve a man. More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral?"

"He was an admiral." Chenlian precised, her arms crossed, a little away from the others. It was obvious she didn't want to be here but had decided to comply with the majority.

"Yeah! Way up there! But he couldn't take the madness any more. He's the first person ever to leave the army - and live. I'm the second, but you don't get to be a legend for that. That's okay though. Jeong Jeong's a firebending genius. Some say he's mad - but he's not! He's enlightened."

Aang was ecstatic that there was another firebender out there who was not with the Fire Lord. And a master who could train him at that! Sokka didn't want to go find some crazy firebender and thought they should listen to Chenlian and trust her concerning his training. Chey disagreed. Jeong Jeong was not crazy! He was a genius! And the perfect person to train the Avatar! That's why he had followed them into the festival.

"No, I'm sorry to break it to you, but that's impossible. He will definitely refuse so it's no use to go. On the contrary, I think he'll be very angry if we go see him. He will say the exact same thing I did. Besides, Aang, how can you expect to learn anything if you don't listen to people? And more importantly, because of your stunt at the village now Zhao will soon be informed of our location if he doesn't already know so we should hit the road as fast as possible." Chenlian affirmed with strong convinction. Exasperated by her know-it-all and overbearing attitude, the airbender snapped. Just because she refused to teach him didn't mean that man would too! He was ready, he was the Avatar, it was her who said he should get stronger as fast as possible and yet she refused to teach him and wouldn't let someone else do it either?! He was going! Beside, how could you know that person wouldn't see him!? "Because Jeong Jeong is my grandfather... and my firebending master. He wouldn't even teach ME unless I studied the other bending disciplines and mastered discipline itself. Do you think you know him better than I do? Do you really think someone like that will teach you just because you ask?"

"But I'm the Avatar!" Everyone was shocked but Aang still wanted to go and try.

"All the more reason not to! That guy's even stricter than me. If something as dangerous as fire found its way into the hands of a bender with your inexperience and sheer raw power and ability, it would be the end of it all! You don't go giving double-edged swords to toddlers, do you?! That's exactly the same!"

However, the little monk was still angry. He thought she was belittling him and wanted to prove her wrong. And he stubbornly declared that he would go. And naturally, Katara, feeling sorry for him, and wishing to cool things down, said that it couldn't hurt just to talk to him. Her brother pointed out that that was what she had said about going to the festival and resented the fact that nobody listened to him or Chenlian. It was then that they were surrounded by men wearing straw hats and armor and wielding spears, and obviously belonging to an Earth Kingdom tribe. They were captured... and led them through the forest. The leader, Lin Yi, berated Chey. Jeong Jeong had told him not to look for Avatar! Sokka was surprised that he knew these guys. The former Fire Nation soldier reassured them as Lin Yi was an old buddy. Lin Yi merely poked his back with his spear, and told him to shut up and keep moving.

Some time later, Appa and Momo were made to wait at the edge of the woods while the humans walked down the slope and stopped near a shack. Below them, built on a rock on the river, was another shack.

"Go on. He sees you only." Lin Yi ordered Chey.

"Oh that's okay, we can chat later." The ex-soldier said again in a reassuring tone.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is? I need to talk to him right away." Aang exclaimed cheerfully. He began to move forward, but was blocked by a spear shaft across his path.

"No! You wait there." The leader stopped the child before pushing Chey forward roughly. "Go now!"

"Don't worry! Everything'll be fine. He's a great man, great man!" And Chey walked toward Jeong Jeong's while the youths entered the other shack.

In the Fire Nation town the teens just visited. Local guards were being interrogated by Admiral Zhao, flanked by a few guards, in the deserted central square...

"So, the Avatar was here and you let him slip away?"

"Yes, sir, but other than that the festival went off without a hitch!" And just as the words fell from his lips, a huge burning pillar fell right behind them with a massive crash. They jumped, startled. "No fights. Theft was way down."

"I don't care about your local crime rates!" The admiral bellowed. "Which way did they go?"

"They headed into the forest, up the river I suspect." The officer pointed. Zhao ordered his subordinates to ready the river boats. They were going after the Avatar...

Chey left Jeong Jeong's hut and arrived where Aang and the others were sleeping. The monk woke up instantly and energetically asked what happened and if he could see Jeong Jeong now? The man sat down glumly.

"He won't see you. He's very angry that I brought you here. He wants you to leave immediately."

"See, I told you so. Now let's go." They heard Chenlian say.

"Yes, finally! Let's hit the road." Sokka got up on his elbows but seeing as his friend glared at the firebender, he stretched back out again, a rather sour expression on his face.

"Why won't he see me?"

"He says you're not ready. Says you haven't mastered waterbending and earthbending yet."

"Wait, how does he know that?" Aang questioned before looking at Chenlian suspiciously.

"I haven't budged from this place. How could I have told him beforehand? Besides, he's my master... as if he needs ME telling him anything..." The girl waved her arm dismissively.

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell." Chey explained. And the boy stubbornly decided to go in anyway...

Aang walked over to the entrance to Jeong Jeong's hut, took a deep breath, parted the curtain, and walked into the darkness. Against the opposite wall was a dark figure seated cross legged amidst a semicircle of candles, his back to Aang. The man told him to get out. The child hesitated before gathering his courage and approaching resolutely.

"Master, I need to learn firebending." He humbly requested.

"Only a fool seeks his own destruction." Jeong Jeong bluntly answered. The monk sat down.

"I'm the Avatar. It's my destiny to-"

"Destiny!? What would a boy know of destiny?" The master sharply shot back. "If a fish lives its whole life in this river, does he know the river's destiny? No! Only that it runs on and on out of his control! He may follow where it flows, but he cannot see the end. He cannot imagine the ocean."

"Oookay, but it's the Avatar's duty to master all of the bending disciplines."

"To master the bending disciplines, you must first master discipline itself. But you have no interest in this, so I have no interest in you! Now, get out." The firebender ordered harshly. Aang was unpleasantly reminded of Chenlian's warning. Really, these two were exactly the same. And the worst was that he felt it was only the beginning. Everything was happening exactly as she had said it would.

"Please, I have to learn. This could be my only chance." He begged againg. The man turned to him in anger.

"Are you deaf! How can I teach you if you refuse to listen? Before learning firebending you must learn water and earth. Water is cool and soothing, earth is steady and stable, but fire, fire is alive! It breathes, it grows, without a bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it! That is its destiny! You are not ready! You are too weak!" Really, it was just as Chenlian had said. At this final pronouncement the candles flared up around Jeong Jeong to illuminate the entire tent and he suddenly froze. The flames went out, and only one candle was lit again. The others had disappeared. Instead of the tent, a tree was in the background behind the deserter... and in front of him, stood Avatar Roku.

"You think I am weak?" He asked menacingly.

"Avatar Roku! No! No!" The former admiral inclined his head in respect. "I did not mean that!"

"I have mastered the elements a thousand times in a thousand lifetimes. Now, I must do it once again. You will teach the Avatar firebending." Roku raises his left hand and the tree behind Jeong Jeong burst into flame. Cut to a close of Jeong Jeong as the vision ends.

"Yes, yes, I will teach you." The deserter said, coming out of his trance.

"Really? That's great!" Aang exclaimed, ecstatic. Jeong Jeong looked at the child's enormous, cheesy smile and groaned. The Avatar returned to the shack he shared with his friends for night and taunted Chenlian about how he had got Jeong Jeong to teach him with a few comments about how the grandfather and master was more sensible than the granddaughter and student.

"Then I am sorry for you. You will definitely regret it but as it seems that some people can only learn by making mistakes, I won't say anything anymore and let you see for yourself." She told him after a time. Then she turned to Sokka. "Sokka, once Aang starts making fire, make sure you and your sister stay at least ten yards away from him, and I will ask you to be extra careful."

"Alright." The water tribe warrior agreed.

"You still think I can't-"

"I don't think, I KNOW you can't. You will understand soon enough..."

"No, YOU will understand!" Aang shot back. Chenlian did not say a single word but merely stared back at him with her strong yet sad, amber eyes that seemed to burn dimly under the moon and the stars. And her honesty and forthrightness made him waver. He knew he was being stubborn, but he could not stop now.

"Good morning master." Chenlian greeted Jeong Jeong the next morning with her usual, polite and respectful phrase.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me grandfather now? I'm no longer your firebending master!"

"At least a few million times, master, since whether you want it or not, you will always be my firebending teacher." The mahogany-haired girl replied bluntly.

"And I will always be your grandfather too!"

"That may be, but I still won't call you grandfather, master. Well, then, I will go meditate." She bowed and left, ignoring the scowl on her teacher's face. It had sounded like a parent/child quarrel, with the adult appearing to be the one making 'unreasonable' demands like a child, and the teen coolly and firmly telling him off like a mother her son. The siblings went with her. Katara asked why she couldn't call him grandfather.

"Yeah, he was really upset, the poor old man." Sokka agreed with his sister.

"Because he has always been more of a master than a grandfather to me. I know what he's trying to do. He's been like that since my parents died. Before, he did not mind it much. But I don't need him to be like this. It's enough for me if he's the same as before."

"But maybe it is something HE needs..."

"Then he must wait until I am ready." The firebender concluded. The siblings looked at each other and sighed. She too was stubborn and did not listen to others. She could easily give off the impression of being as closed and unsympathetic as a sealed chest. However, they had learnt not to take it to heart as they knew of the treasures buried inside. So they decided to trust her and give her time until she decided to come out on her own as she usually did. Besides, it was better than trying to open her forcefully and clumsily and trigger her defense mecanisms. They left and returned to Aang.

Sokka was sitting on a boulder by the river, fishing, Katara was practicing waterbending on the shore, and Aang was standing bandy legged on a flat stone in front of Jeong Jeong's hut. His teacher who was standing a foot or two away on the bank in front of his hut told him to widen his stance, bend his knees and concentrate. The boy complied until his master was satisfied.

"Wait! What do I do now?" The Avatar questioned as Jeong Jeong began to walk away. The latter whipped around.

"Silence! Talking is not concentrating! Look at your friend, is she talking?" He then pointed at Sokka. "Even that oaf knows to concentrate on what he's doing!"

"Hey!" Sokka yelled. Aang asked what he should be concentrating on. The firebender enjoined him to feel the heat of the sun as it was the greatest source of fire and yet in complete balance with nature. The child looked at the sun then turned back to Jeong Jeong with a large smile on his face and inquired about when he could get to make some fire... which only made the old man yell at him to concentrate. Aang breathed deeply, and then he heard his friends laughing at him from behind. He turned to look at them, but they stopped instantly, vainly trying to look innocent. He flushed in embarrassment.

Jeong Jeong arrived in a small clearing where, as he had expected, he saw Chenlian meditating before a little lotus pond. He approached.

"You got scared of Avatar Roku?" The girl said, her eyes still closed, and after a pause, "That's the only thing that could have made you teach Aang."

"You've gotten sharper over the years."

"Well, one thing leads to another..."

"Avatar Roku also asked you to teach Aang, didn't he?"

"Yeah, and I told him to get lost. Avatar Roku was Avatar Roku. Aang is Aang. Even if they're both Avatars, they're entirely different people. And Avatars make mistakes too, that's why they need teachers. And their powers and status make them conceited, that's why they need people at their side impervious to their powers and status."

"Do you know why I called you 'morning lotus'?" Jeong Jeong asked after a long pause. "And it's not just because it blooms at dawn!" He quickly added before his wise granddaughter could crack it herself. "The lotus grows out of the mud and rises through the water to bloom pure, beautiful, and clean. Likewise, I wanted you to inspire people by continuing to strive through the difficulties, no matter how bad, and rise to show your best part to the outside world. I wanted you to bring beauty and light from the darkness and murkiness of the current Fire Nation 'philosophy'." The deserter crouched down, took a lotus stalk, split it, and slowly drew the two parts away, and still, the silk-like fibers of the plant did not break and kept stretching and linking them. "Just like its stalk is easy to bend in two but very difficult to break because of its strong sinuous fibers that keep connecting the two parts even if they're far away, your bonds with your family and those you love shall never break." Then he grabbed a small handful of dirt he dropped on a leaf before scooping water and letting it wash it away. Not a single speck remained on the leaf. "Just like dirt and dust can never cling to the lotus flower and leaves, I wanted you to be able to repel evil and remain virtuous. Just like all of its parts are edible and used in many medicines, I wanted you to be of help to those around you and provide them with your protection. I wanted you to be the dawn to light and warm people after a long and cold night, someone who gives hope and strength, a bringer of change for our decadent country, someone who would break its fall..." He had put all of his hopes and prayers into that name he had entrusted to her...

"Humph, none of that matters. Now that you've gotten old and sentimental, you seem to feel guilty for having pinned all your hopes on me but you really don't have to. I've never once felt as if you, father, or mother, had ever burdened me with anything. Everything I did, I did them because they were my choices, and mine only. My parents and you taught me how to think, judge, and decide for myself and you've given me the strength to see through my decisions, whatever they were. And that's all I ever did. And I'm pretty sure father and mother would have said the same. You don't have to worry or feel guilty about anything." There was a small smile on Chenlian's lips, a warm, kind, and confident smile. "Of course I resented you for many things at first, but now I think I understand a bit..." Why he disagreed with the Fire Lord, of course, but also why he had deserted and not chosen to stay and fight from within, why he hadn't budged all this time... charging head first was not necessarily a good thing, often, it was better to wait and bid your time, and it also required courage. Also, sooner or later, their family would have been targeted. If he left, he could arrange things for when the time was ripe. There were things that became possible only when you were far away.

"You've really become sharper..." A faint smile curved the old man's lips as he stood up and walked away.

"One thing leads to another you know..." The girl smirked back.

Aang and his master walked up the path to a mountain's summit. The boy asked whether they had come up here so he wouldn't burn anything with my fire blasts, but he had misunderstood. There would be no fire yet. He groaned, clearly disappointed and impatient. Like Iroh had told Zuko weeks earlier, Jeong Jeong explained that power in firebending came from the breath. That was why he had to master proper breath control. The Avatar couldn't believe he had brought him up here to breathe. He was ignored and instructed to assume his stance. The firebender turned away from him as Aang complied. Once more, the child was told to widen his stance.

"You're not even look-" He tried to protest but before he could finish his sentence, the old man harshly repeated his order.

"Wider! Now, inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth - without talking." Aang obeyed. "Good. Keep going." The firebending master walked down the path as the Avatar continued to practice, a look of fierce concentration on his face.

Later, he returned to Jeong Jeong's candle lit hut only to be scolded by the old man as he had not told him to stop. The child complained he had been breathing for hours. Jeong Jeong sharply asked whether he wanted to stop breathing. The boy angrily threw his hands wide in frustration: he wanted him to stop wasting his time. He already knew how to squat and breathe and feel the sun! He wanted to know how to shoot fire out of his fingertips! The master sighed heavily.

"I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline. He was only concerned with the power of fire - how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out the obstacles in his path., but fire is a horrible burden to bear. Its nature is to consume and without control it destroys everything around it. Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love." He declared implacably. Aang left the tent. At the same time, Zhao and his men moving up the river on three boats. They were attacked by some of Jeong Jeong's rebels, but the admiral drove them away with a ball of flame that set the wood ablaze and a cruel smile.

Jeong Jeong exited his hut and saw Aang sitting lotus style on a stone before him, his head lowered. He had reflected, and now he promised to be more patient. The teacher they were going to start working with fire. The boy immediately exploded in excitement. He airbended himself in a quick loop in the air before freezing, remembering his promise. He put his hands behind his back and assumed a serious expression. Jeong Jeong caught one of the falling leaves between his thumb and forefinger and began to burn a tiny hole in it at the point of contact. Aang had to concentrate on the fire to keep this flame from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as he could. The hole was spreading with the flame even as the Avatar assumed his stance and concentrated. Suddenly, a rebel guard approached and warned the master. The firebender told the monk to concentrate on his leaf while he went with the guard. Aang petulantly whined about this being the worst firebending instruction ever. All Jeong Jeong did was leave him alone for hours to concentrate or breathe. Katata tried to soothe him saying there must be a good reason. But he was ready to do so much more. Then, Aang's face lit up with an idea. He squatted and began to breathe exactly as he had learned. Suddenly, the leaf burst into flame and disintegrated. The Avatar was now holding a fireball in his hand.

"I did it! I made fire!"

"Aang, that's great, but you should take it slow." Katara approached and attempted to mollify him. The airbender got annoyed at this comment, and the flame instantly got bigger. They were both surprised. "Careful!" She exclaimed. Aang retained control and reduced the flame to its former size, but not before almost falling into the river.

"Now that's firebending!" He shot a whip of flame and began to juggle his ball of flame happily. The water tried to warn him that he was going to hurt himself but he wouldn't listen. Even worst, he attempted to emulate the juggler. He extended the flame into an arch around him that formed a complete circle and pushed it outward. The 'shockwave' of flame grazed Katara, burning her hands which she had raised to protect her face. She cried out in pain and crumpled to her knees. "Katara! I'm so sorry!" The boy screamed as he leapt to her.

"Katara, what's wrong!?" Having heard his sister scream, Sokka had rushed in. He angrily turned to Aang. "What did you do?"

"Iiiit was an accident! I was... Katara, I'm so-" But before he could finish, Sokka tackled him to the ground just as he tried to put a hand on Katara's shoulder.

"I told you we shouldn't mess around with this! Look what you did! You burned my sister!" The older boy yelled, furious. Katara stood up and ran away. Aang looked stunned and lost. Sokka turned to Jeong Jeong and glared at him accusingly. "This is all your fault!"

"I know. Now pack your things. You must leave immediately."

"I'm sorry, I didn't... I'm sorry!" The child repeated helplessly as Sokka walked away. And then he saw the sadness and disappointment in his master's eyes, and exactly the same in Chenlian's gaze. She had also come as soon as she had heard the scream and stopped at the edge of the wood. They walked away too, leaving Aang alone.

Katara was crying by the river bank. She looked at her burnt hands and put them in the water. The pain intensified momentarily when suddenly she felt nothing. Surprised, she looked down. Her hands glowed white underneath the water and when they stopped glowing, she was completely healed and the burns were gone. She stared at her hands in amazement. Jeong Jeong arrived and told her she had healing abilities as the great benders of the water tribe sometimes did. He had always wished to be blessed like her - free from this burning curse... Once more, Chenlian stopped at the edge of the woods and listened, the remedies she had brought now useless.

"But you're a great master. You have powers I'll never know."

"Water brings healing and life. But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart." Suddenly the water in front of them was blasted with balls of flame. The master rose quickly to a defensive bending stance and broke the flames that washed over him and Katara. Zhao and his men had spotted them and attacked. Jeong Jeong told the waterbender to get her friends and flee and to not come back here or they would all be destroyed. She complied. But not Chenlian who had stayed, ready to fight.

"You too, hurry! If I am your master then obey me!"

"You may be my master but I am also my own master!"

"But now your duty is to your friends and to the Avatar! Soldiers might have snuck in the woods! Go!"

Chenlian hesitated. As always he had grasped her strong but also weak point: her loyalty to her friends and those she had chosen to serve and protect. He was right. She gave in and dashed back in the forest. If it was him he would be fine. Jeong Jeong turned back to face the boats. Fireballs landed harmlessly all around him. Zhao lowered his telescope and smiled. On the shore, the old man, with a few powerful motions, produced a huge wall of fire a few dozens of feet tall that spanned across the entire river in front of the ships, forcing them to turn to starboard and dock. The admiral jumped into the water that only reached his knees and walked to the beach.

"Don't worry, men. My old teacher gave up fighting a long time ago." Zhao parted the wall like curtains just enough for him to walk through. "Haven't you, Master Jeong Jeong?" He stopped just before him. The deserter dropped the wall of fire.

Katara ran up to where Sokka was preparing Appa for the journey. He immediately asked whether she was alright. She reassured him and told him they needed to get out of here and asked about Aang. He pointed his thumb in the direction of the hut and in turn inquired about Chenlian. Katara entered the hut through the curtain. Inside, Aang was sitting amidst the candles, back to the entrance.

"Chenlian and Jeong Jeong tried to tell me that I wasn't ready. I wouldn't listen. I'm never going to firebend again."

"You'll have to eventually."

"No, never again." The boy insisted. The waterbender reassured him: she was healed. He couldn't believe it but now was not the time to explain. They had to get out of here. Zhao and his soldiers were attacking. They were by the river where Jeong Jeong and Chenlian still were. They might have been captured. Aang ran out of the hut. He had to help them!

"Look at you. You were once so great. I can't believe my former master has become nothing more than a simple savage." Zhao and his men stand against the lone old master. Indeed Jeong Jeong had become quite different from his wanted poster where he had been painted as a very dignified admiral in appearance and countenance. Now he wore ragged cloths and his hair was white shaggy mess and he seemed to have regressed to a wild and uncivilised peasant.

"It is you who have embraced savagery, Zhao." Jeong Jeong shot back. A 'savage' could also define a fierce, cruel, brutal, and merciless person.

"It's Admiral Zhao, now." The former student corrected.

"That title will not help you against the Avatar. Do not try to fight him! You're no match! And you're no match either for Chenlian!"

"Bragging about your granddaughter as always... But I think I can handle children. I will capture them both and bring them to the Fire Lord." The admiral leered.

"It's the first time I've seen such raw power since Chenlian. No, he holds even more potential, much more potential..." The deserter averted his eyes and looked down comtemplatively. Zhao growled angrily.

"Jeong Jeong!" A voice exclaimed. The admiral turned to see Aang who stopped dead upon seeing what he had run into. Now was Zhao's chance to prove this old fool wrong.

"We'll see. Men! Take the deserter!" And following his order, five spearmen and two firebenders surrounded the old master. Jeong Jeong smirked and wrapped himself in a massive sphere of flame, blocking his enemies' fireballs. When it dissipated, he was gone. "It's a trick! He's run off into the woods. Find him!" Zhao snarled angrily. He then turned to Aang. "Let's find out what my old master has taught you."

"YOU were Jeong Jeong's student?" The Avatar yelled in surprise.

"Until I got bored." The Fire Nation officer launched fireballs at Aang, who dodged them easily. "I see he taught you how to duck and run like a coward. But I doubt he showed you what a firebender is truly capable of!" He shot another fireball that flew over Aang's head as the airbender produced a flat, spinning whirlwind of air underneath him and balanced himself on top of it with one finger.

"Whoa! Wild shot!"

"I'll show you wild!" He fired several more volleys, all effortlessly evaded or broken with airbending. Zhao's blasts had torched much of the surrounding forest and the sky filled with smoke. Aang had remarked his opponent's complete lack of self control. He then looked at the boats... and back at Zhao... "Stand and fight, Avatar!"

"Oh, were we fighting? I thought you were just getting warmed up." The boy taunted and quite effectively as the admiral agreed and fired many more volleys, that all missed. "Is that all you got? Man, they'll make anyone an admiral these days!" The monk continued with his strategy. The officer roared in frustration and launched another blast. Aang airbended himself up onto one of the ships before sticking his butt out at the admiral and wiggling it suggestively. "I'm Admiral Zhao!" The child mocked again. Zhao growled again, jumped up onto the main deck and launched a strong blast of fire, setting the bridge ablaze, but Aang leapt off unharmed to the aft section and went on to the next ship. "I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Zuko." The Avatar slumped in a disappointed position. His eyes went wide and he fell flat on the deck fast, though, as a jet of fire passed over him. Zhao had just blasted a hole through the guard rail of both ships. Aang stood up. "Sloppy. Very sloppy." He smirked back. The admiral cried in frustration again and chased the boy around the boats, spreading fire to each of them in his vain efforts to get the child. Momentarily out of Zhao's sight, Aang hid behind one of the deck cabins. Zhao landed behind him, however, having jumped down from the top of the deck cabin. Aang turned to face him.

"Nowhere to run now, you little smart mouth!" The firebender launched another bolt, which the Avatar dodged by flipping over his opponent's head to land behind him.

"You've lost this battle." Aang declared, standing on the third ship's prow.

"Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow!"

"No, but you have." The child motioned to the three burning ships. They were beyond recovery. The first one was already crumbling and sinking. Zhao grimaced. "Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint." Aang hopped off the prow of the third ship. The admiral screamed in frustration. "Have a nice walk home!" Aang broke the surface of the water and shouted, cupping his hand to his mouth. He swam to Appa who had landed on the opposite beach.

"Aang, come on!" Sokka urged him from the driver's seat. Chenlian and Katara were on the saddle with Momo and all their stuff. The Avatar joined them. Sokka gave him the reins.

"Chenlian, where were you? And where's Jeong Jeong?"

"I took care of the soldiers who had followed on foot in the woods. As for Jeong Jeong, he went off somewhere. They all did. Don't worry about them. They'll be fine." She trusted her grandfather and his strength, as well as those who followed him. Like him they might have some attitude but they were not bad people. However, the true surprise was how the grandfather and granddaughter had been alike in attitude and skills concerning firebending. The only difference (true; that was a consequent difference) was that one hated their art and the other did not. Both were unbelievably perceptive, strict, sharp (in all possible meanings) and harsh. They were just like steel. But it was their mastery of themselves that drew people to them and deserved respect.

Chey arrived in his master's compound and found it empty. He wondered where everybody had gone and thought it was a prank. He felt really... lonely and abandoned. And there was another lonely person. Zhao was standing alone, waist deep in the river watching his ships burn. He lowered his chagrined face.

On Appa, Katara noticed Aang's right arm was burned and offered her help. She opened her water skin and wrapped some water around her hand. It glowed white again and she placed it over the burned area, breathed and focused. When she let go, the wound was healed. The Avatar commented about what good water it was and Sokka asked where she had learned how to do that. Chenlian said nothing but looked intently, deep in thought, at the place where the burn had been. Katara shrugged.

"I guess I always knew."

"Oh... well then thanks for all the first aid over the years. Like when I fell into the grease briar bramble and that time I had two fish hooks in my thumb!"

"Two?" Aang raised an eyebrow.

"He tried to get the first fish hook out with another fish hook." The brown haired girl explained.

"Oh, and the time that big snake bit me! Thanks for healing that up. That was great. Really helpful..." And Sokka kept complaining endlessly (as usual) as Appa flew away in the orange sky.

* * *

**Author's note: I don't think I made the apple fall too far from the tree in this chapter. Next will be Northern Air Temple. And don't worry Gadget Boy, Chenlian won't get chi blocked in season 2 but things will also differ significantly from what you imagine ;)**


	21. Through the north wind

**Fight****21: Through the North Wind**

It was night. Small groups of people were sitting on benches in front of a small structure without walls. A fire was burning in the middle of the gathering. Some children were also sitting on the were all listening intently...

"So travelers, the next time you think you hear a strange large bird talking, take a closer look... it might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man! A member of a secret group of air walkers who laugh at gravity and laugh at those bound to the earth by it!" The storyteller concluded.

"Aren't airbender stories the best?" Aang asked his friends with a smile.

"Was it realistic? Was that how it was back then?" Katara wondered.

"I laugh at gravity all the time. Haha! Gravity." The child laughed. Suddenly a pair of hands holding an open hat appeared in front of Sokka. The hands shook the hat and the jingle of coins was heard. The meaning could not be any clearer. Sokka searched his coat, but when he opened his hands there is only some lint and a live bug. He apologised. The storyteller called them cheapskates. So Chenlian showed him four copper coins. She put them in the hat. He smiled at her. She sweetly smiled back. But unknowingly to everyone else, she had taken a silver piece from the hat. She showed it to the others who giggled behind their hands. She had wanted to thank him for his story... and teach him how to properly talk to a customer. Aang ran over to the storyteller who was facing another audience member, seeking more donations. The excited boy thanked him for the story.

"Tell it to the cap, boy!" The older man retorted, showing him the cap again without looking at him. A copper piece fell on the ground, which Momo picked up and deposited back in the cap. The storyteller patted the pet, apparently thinking that it was the child who had dropped the coin and the cute animal had put it in.

"Aw, much obliged little bat thing!"

"It means a lot to hear airbender stories. It must have been hundred years ago your great grandpa met them." The little monk continued as the lemur climbed back on his shoulder.

"What are you prattling about child? Great grand-pappy saw the air walkers last week!" The storyteller gestured to a very old man who was sitting down, waving at Aang. The boy was shocked.

The next day they were flying above puffy white clouds and snow capped mountains to the Northern Air Temple. The airbender told them they were almost there, and that was where the championships for sky bison polo had taken place. He was getting more and more excited by the minute and Katara seemed to have caught his enthusiasm by the way she asked her brother whether he really thought they would find airbenders.

"You want me to be like you, or totally honest?"

"Are you saying I'm a liar?" The brown haired girl folded her arms.

"I'm saying you're an optimist. Same thing basically."

"Now, now, Sokka. You know she doesn't mean any harm. But well, false hopes hurt people nonetheless. The question is whether is hurts more than the bare truth or not." Chenlian's opinion was quite clear from this. When you wanted to escape reality, you lied to yourself. Like Sokka, she didn't believe any other airbender could have survived this century of war. And she preferred the cold truth to any false hope. Her thoughts were interrupted by the Avatar.

"Hey guys, look at this!" He exclaimed smiling and pointing at the Northern Air Temple that sat atop a sheer peak – similar to its sister temple down south – and around which people or things were flying... Smoke was rising in lazy pillars from a couple places among the spires. Aang's smile turned into a slight frown.

"Huh! They really are airbenders!" Katara yelled happily.

"No, they're not." He contradicted her, leaning back and folding his arms with a cross expression.

"What do you mean they're not? Those guys are flying!" Sokka pointed at them.

"Gliding maybe, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move. They're not airbending. Those people have no spirit." However, just as he was finishing his sentence, the siblings almost got their heads taken off by a glider as it passed over them. Its pilot laughed at the good fright he had given them. It was a teenage boy wearing amber goggles and seated in a glider built on a wheelchair. He laughed again and wheeled his craft around for another pass at Appa.

"I don't know, Aang. That kid seems pretty spirited!" The waterbender voiced her opinion. The wheelchair glider made another pass. Aang and the teen looked at each other challengingly. The Avatar jumped into the air, unfolded his glider and took off. Chenlian, who they had rarely seen beaming like this, had been about to do the same when Sokka stopped her and made her crash back in the was she thinking?! Well, she just wanted to compete with them.

"What?! But you don't have any glider!"

"I have my firebending."

"Are you crazy?! You want a repeat of the incident with Jet?!"

"Why not? I don't really care. I can defend myself and it's better to tell them now than later, isn't it?" The firebender didn't understand why they were so against it. The siblings looked at each other. Sokka hit his own forehead. Even though she was so smart, she could be so stupid, or more like careless, jaded.

"Chenlian, we are your friends, aren't we?" Katara began gently.

"Of course."

"Then please, can you listen to us this time? We just don't want to see you get treated like this again. It is really painful. You might not care but we do because we care about you. To see you get hated, threatened, and attacked like this... we don't want that. What would you feel if what happened to you back then happened to us?" The waterbender explained, her tone soft and warm. Her friend closed her eyes for a time.

"I don't want that." She affirmed strongly.

"See? Then give us a little time. You can rely on us."

"Yeah, don't worry. We'll handle things. Just wait a bit." Sokka concurred. The other gliders were now flying in formation around Appa who reared in surprise as one passed just before his nose. "Anyway, we better find some solid ground before it finds us!" The bison landed on one of the temple's outer terraces. They looked up at the two flyers engaged in a game of tag in the north sky. The most skilful, who could do the most tricks, would obviously win.

"Go Teo! Show that bald kid how it's done!" A member of the very young audience cheered for the representative of the current inhabitants of the Air Temple. The pursuit continued. They twirled around each other in a controlled dive like low flying swallows among the buildings and clouds.

"Hey there! You're pretty good." Teo complimented the airbender.

"Yeah, I know. But I can do more than fancy gliding!" Aang replied coolly. He broke his descent, turned and shot straight upward. He came back to the one of temple's towers, let go of his glider, and started running along the side of the tower. Then he produced an air scooter and rode it along the outside wall of the tower, his glider still running along side of him. He let the air scooter die and jumped back on his glider and soared back into the sky.

"Wow! I don't think I can do that! But here's a good one..." Teo released a cord on his glider and a cylinder on the back of his glider began to leave a trail of thick grey smoke. The boy manipulated his glider through loops and arcs, leaving the grey trail behind him. Once he was done, he had made a picture of Aang's face, arrow and all, with a sour expression. The crowd laughed. The Avatar looked at it with the very same expression on his face. Teo came up to him and asked him what he thought.

"It's great." The monk commented drily before landing next to his friends and folding his glider. Teo landed his glider right behind, and skidded with the help of his hand brakes. Children detached the glider from his wheelchair. He then wheeled over to Aang and his friends.

"Hey! You're a REAL airbender! You must be the Avatar! That's amazing! I, I, I've heard stories about you."

"Thanks." Aang looked embarrassed but happy. But Sokka was more impressed by the boy's glider chair. Two girls brought the glider setup back for him to inspect.

"If you think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my dad designed." And Teo led them inside. When they reached the main chamber, it was quite unlike that seen in The Southern Air Temple. This room was dominated by a jumble of steam-powered machinery with many wheels, gears and pipes. It was not pretty. A beautiful statue of an airbender monk was in a recessed portico in the wall, but it too seemed dirty and befouled as did the rest of the room. Shafts of sunlight did filter in, but the steam and dust made everything murky.

"Wow!" Sokka commented.

"Yeah, my dad is the mastermind behind this whole place! Everything's powered by hot air. It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift when we're gliding." Teo proudly explained. As he spoke, a woman walked over and went in a cage. She pulled a rope and steam power lifted the cage up to a higher level where she exited.

"This place is unbelievable." Aang said softly.

"Yeah, it's great isn't it?"

"No, just unbelievable." The airbender walked away, clearly saddened by what he had seen.

"Aang used to come here a long time ago. I think he's a little shocked it's so... different." Katara attempted a follow up.

"So better!" Her brother popped in. Katara joined Aang before a once beautiful mural, now it was pierced through and through by pipes.

"This is supposed to be the history of my people." He muttered dejectedly. Katara put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but he walked away over to the huge statue of a flying bison that once had a fountain attached to it. Now the fountain basin was full of a green industrial looking substance that bubbled and spirited. The statue then emitted a cloud of black smoke from its mouth, scaring and disgusting Aang.

"I'm sure some parts of the temple are still the same." The waterbender attempted to reassure him.

Later, the youths were walking – or driving – across a narrow, suspended pathway from the main temple to a satellite temple building. They paused in the main courtyard, which looked untouched. Airbender statues still resided here.

"It's nice to see even one part of the temple that isn't ruined." Aang said, relieved. He and Katara were staring up at a huge recessed statue of an airbender monk. Suddenly a voice cried a warning. The statue disintegrated as a wrecking ball smashed through it. The five protected themselves from the flying debris and dust. They all coughed. As the dust settled, many figures could be seen through the hole the wrecking ball just created. A middle aged man with a bald head and weird patches of pointy hair on either side of his head walked forward. His right eye has a red monocle. He was wearing a green tunic mostly covered by the white smock or apron of an artisan.

"What the doodle! Don't you know enough to stay away from construction sites? We have to make room for the bathhouse!"

"Do you know what you did? You just destroyed something sacred! For a stupid bathhouse!" The Avatar raged.

"Well, people around here are starting to stink." The mechanist waved a hand in front of nose suggestively.

"This whole place stinks!" The airbender angrily pointed at the man before striking the ground with his staff, sending a gale back through the hole in the wall, blowing the machine of destruction away to fall into the crevice and crash far below. "This is a sacred temple! You can't treat it this way. I've seen it when the monks were here. I know what it's supposed to be like." He pointed an accusing finger again.

"The monks? But you're 12!" The artificer held his bearded chin skeptically. His son informed him that he was the Avatar and that he used to come here a hundred years ago. Aang became menacing. He wanted to know what he, they, were doing and who said they could be here. The inventor turned away and with many gestures, he told the child about how a long time ago, his people had become refugees after a terrible flood that had taken his wife and badly hurt his infant son, Teo. He needed somewhere to rebuild and he had stumbled across this place, this utterly empty place with, unbelievably, pictures of flying people everywhere. And then he had come across these fan-like contraptions! These gliders, these little light flying machines that gave him the idea to build a new life for his son, in the air! Then everyone would be on equal ground, so to speak! They were just in the process of improving upon what was already here. And after all, wasn't that what nature did? Aang was still unhappy. His water tribe friends were teary eyed behind him and the firebender was listening neutrally, her arms crossed. She did not really disagree with the artificer but she also understood Aang's point of view. She knew how hard it was in such cases to detach yourself emotionally. She also felt a certain distaste for the current appearance of this temple.

"Nature knows where to stop." The Avatar argued.

"I suppose that's true. Unfortunately, progress has a way of getting away from us." The discoverer looked down in some sadness, and lifted his head back up to look at something. "Look at the time!" He showed a set of three candles burning brightly on a stone pedestal. Each of them was neatly separated into different sections. "Come, the pulley system must be oiled before dark." He told a scribe behind him. Sokka approached the candles and asked how he could tell the time from that as the notches all looked the same. "The candle will tell us. Watch." And indeed, after a few seconds, the candle flame snaped four times in a row.

"You put spark powder in the candle!" The water tribe warrior exclaimed.

"Four flashes, so it's exactly four hours past midday, or, as I call it, four o'candle!" The mechanist explained. Sokka laughed. "If you like that, wait till you see my finger safe knife sharpener!" The old man beamed and held up his left hand. Three of the fingers were made of wood. He detached them and tossed them at Sokka. "Only took me three tries to get it right!" The boy screamed after he caught the fingers. That was why Chenlian was content with a good whetstone and good water to sharpen her blades. While Sokka followed the scientist, Teo took the others deep into the Air Temple. He wanted to show them something...

"I just can't get over it. There's not a single thing that's the same."Aang complained again. Teo stopped and scooped up a little black and white striped hermit crab.

"I don't know about that. The Temple might be different, but the creatures that live here are probably direct descendents of the ones that lived here a long time ago." He gave the animal to Katara who played with it a bit.

"You're right. They're kind of keepers of the temples origins." She gave the crab to the airbender who smiled.

"Besides, there's one part of the temple that hasn't changed at all." They arrived before an imposing door dominated in the center by a woodcut comprised of three wooden air symbols protruding from its surface and which are arranged in a triangular pattern. The symbols were attached to tubes that end in two horns near the bottom of the woodcut. The waterbender immediately recognised it. Teo reminded them that since only an airbender could open it, the inside must be completely untouched, just the way the monks left it. He had always wondered what it was like in there. However, Aang did not feel like opening it. He apologised: this was the last part of temple that was the same as it was. He wanted it to stay that way. "I completely understand. I just wanted you to know it was here."

"Thanks." And they returned the way they had come.

Sokka and the mechanist were walking down a dark, narrow stone staircase. They held lanterns that glowed a very dim, pale blue light... so dim that the boy couldn't see. He opened one, certainly hoping to find a way to make it brighter. The jar was packed with fireflies. One escaped.

"Why would you want to use fireflies for light?"

"Hey! Close that up! They'll get loose. Fireflies are a non-flammable light source." They continued, coming to a door whose edges were blocked with some kind of caulk. The inventor felt around the caulk-like insulation, looking for leaks, before turning to Sokka. "Cover your nose and hold your breath." They approached and he slid open a small panel. The inside was all dark.

"Okay, so you brought me all the way down here to see an empty room."

"Wrong. It's filled to the brim with natural gas. Came across it my first time here. Unfortunately, I was carrying a torch at the time. Nearly blew myself and the whole place even more sky high. Thought my eyebrows would never grow back! Anyway, there's a vital problem that needs solving. From time to time we have gas leaks and they're nearly impossible to find."

"So this place is an explosion waiting to happen?" Sokka checked his side of the door for leaks.

"Yes, until I figure out how to locate something I can't see, hear, smell or touch..."

"The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you something even lighter than air, and that something takes over when you fly." Teo told Katara and Chenlian. The girls were standing at the edge of the terrace, holding a glider with both hands. The inventor's son was to her left, Aang behind them to the right with Momo. The firebender had a wide grin on her face while the waterbender looked fearfully at the precipice.

"I've changed my mind. I think I was born without that something." The blue-eyed girl backed away. The young disabled man laughed. It was impossible, everybody had it!

"Spirit." The Avatar stated.

"What?"

"That's the something you're talking about."

"Yeah, I suppose it is." Then after a time, Katara agreed to get into position again. Teo asked the girls whether they were ready.

"No!" The brown-haired girl muttered fearfully.

"Then I'll be going first!" And Chenlian leapt fearlessly. She fell, and soon soared through the clouds. Gliding was certainly very different from propelling herself with jets of fire. You just had to entrust yourself to the wind without a care. And seeing the happy and relaxed expression on her friend's face, Katara was relieved and felt slightly invigorated too. She jumped, still screaming, but soon her screams turned to delight, as she gained control of the craft and began to fly, Teo right with her. They were soon joined by Aang. The waterbender still couldn't believe she was flying. The airbender advised her to make sure to keep her mouth closed so she wouldn't swallow a bug. However, that was exactly what Momo wanted. He flew his mouth open until a bug entered it that he ate tranquilly.

"Teo was right about the air! All I had to do was trust it. Let it carry me." She agreed at last. Aang admitted that even though Teo was not an airbender, he did have the spirit of one. But soon Chenlian tried to make things more interesting by challenging the three of them. Katara did not have the confidence and prefered to simply fly like this but Aang and Teo instantly fell for her provocative smirk. And the contest started...the speed, the difficulty of the figures, the courage when they would dive straight to the ground or the wall or rush at each other and swerving at the last second. All the contestants were cheered on, though of course Teo was still favorite. They competed in this three-way aerial battle in their own unique ways. Teo with its heavily customised glider, Aang with his airbending, and Chenlian... only the Avatar could know. Teo HAD noticed something strange with her movements but was unable to pinpoint it. He could not guess that she was using her firebending to heat the cold air of the northern Earth Kindgom and making it expand instantly at the right moments, and thus propelling herself faster and allowing for sudden breaks or sharp movements. For her friends' sake, she did not want flames to be visible. After all, it was unthinkable that a firebender could travel with the Avatar and become its ally.

Aang landed, soon followed by the inventor's son and Chenlian. He had been thinking. If they wanted to see the inside the Sanctuary, he would be happy to open the door for them. The young disabled was ecstatic, the firebender unsure, given what the Fire Nation had done. However, Aang insisted. Of course, neither said anything but he understood her reluctance. But regardless of her background, she was his friend. And he wanted share part of himself, of his culture, with her, just like he would with Sokka and Katara... who suddenly interrupted them...

"Wait! How do I land this thing? What if I land-" But she was cut off when something entered her mouth. She tried to rasp her throat and cough it back, in vain. "Eh! Blech! Yech! Bug! Bug! That was a bug!"

In his workshop, the mechanist was bending over some plans on his desk while Sokka would knock over some junk in the background even though he had been told not to touch anything. The junk fell on the floor. The old man reassured him. That was an old experiment, that egg had just been part of last week's lunch. Sokka sniffed the air and made a disgusted sound... week old egg smell... They needed to find that egg quick. And so they began crawling on all fours to find the source of the stench.

Aang, Katara, Chenlian and Teo were at the Sanctuary's door once again. The infirm was especially expectant. The monk airbended two jets of air, one from each arm, into the horns at the bottom of the woodcut. The air ran through the tubes and one by one flipped the air symbols from the blue sides to the maroon sides and produced a different music note. The door unlocked.

"How could something that's so small you can't even see it make such a big stink!" Sokka cursed, still crawling around in search of the rotten egg.

"That's the solution to our problem!" The inventor exclaimed all of a sudden. And it seemed the boy had the same idea at the same time. They shifted their position to face each other.

"Yeah! If we put a whole mess of rotten eggs in the cellar where the gas seeps up-"

"The gas will mix with the smell of rotten eggs-"

"Then, if there's a leak-"

"You smell rotten eggs! Then you just follow your nose to the place where the smell is coming from-"

"And plug up the hole where the gas is escaping!"

"You're a genius!" The two praised and congratulated each other at the same time and threw their arms in the air. Suddenly, a large bell rang. Something was wrong, the old man dashed out of the room.

Aang, Katara, Chenlian and Teo walked, aghast, in the Air Temple Sanctuary. It was filled with evil looking war machines... and a red tent with a black Fire Nation symbol.

"This is a nightmare." The consternated airbender voiced everyone's thoughts.

"You don't understand." The mechanist arrived right behind them.

"You're making weapons for the Fire Nation!" Aang pointed an angry and accusing finger at him. Sokka, despite being quite close to the discoverer, was equally furious, and so was the man's own son, who demanded an explanation now. Chenlian wasn't really angry, just sad and apologetic. As part of the Fire Nation, it was pretty evident to her how things could have come to this.

"It was about a year after we moved here." The mechanist began, his head hung in humiliation. "Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement. You were too young to remember this tale. They were going to destroy everything, burn it to the ground! I pleaded with them, I begged them to spare us. They asked what I had to offer. I offered... my services. You must understand, I did this for you!" He pleaded. But his son turned both his head and his wheelchair away. It was always very difficult for children to understand their parents' hearts.

The inventor returned to his office. He was conducting another experiment with a balloon driven by a candle in a basket below it... and two eggs in the basket with happy faces drawn on them. Carried by the air heated by the candle, the balloon rose toward the ceiling. It was then that Aang, Teo and Chenlian entered. They wanted to know when they would be coming. He informed them that the emissary would be coming soon, very soon. The girl and the Avatar tried to convince him not to give them more weapons but he disputed that if he didn't, they would destroy this place. And as if on cue, the balloon that had floated over to them caught fire and fell on the floor, where the mechanist smothered the flames with a towel.

"How can I be proud of you when your inventions are being used for murder?" Teo also attempted to persuade him.

"I need some time to think" The old man softened before his son. After a pause, a little tinkling bell was heard. "You need to leave! Go!" But his son adamantly refused, his bright eyes narrowed in anger. "Then hide, quickly!" His father shooed them away before pulling a lever. A trap door in the floor opened and steam billowed. A man in Fire Nation garb rose through the opening.

"You know better than to keep me waiting. Give me what you owe us so I can be on my way." He approached the mechanist who looked down. "Well? Is there a problem?" He asked more threateningly.

"No, right this way." The inventor motionned toward the door. In the end, he did not have the courage to speak out. The emissary began to move to the door, but it was shut by a blast of air from Aang who landed in front of the closed door.

"The deal's off!" The airbender said in a controlled voice despite his obvious anger. The envoy immediately recognised him as the Avatar. The creator told him not to get involved but it was already too late. The Fire Nation man warned that if he didn't get what he had come for then this place would be burned to rubble. "Get out of here! You're leaving empty handed!" Aang struck him across the cheek with an air whip.

"Then the destruction of this temple will be on your head." The envoy pointed at Aang accusingly.

"No, I don't think so." Chenlian stepped inbetween them without facing either. "You won't be able to make a single scratch on this temple... because we will protect it. We will free this temple from your yoke!" The young girl glared fiercely at the emissary. "Now go back, if you don't want us to capture you." She assumed a fighting stance. The man straightened himself and walked to the elevator his nose in the air. Once he had gone back down, Aang closed the trap door with a blast of air.

The four teens and Teo had gathered in the middle of a causeway to discuss the current situation...

"This is bad! Very bad!" Sokka commented after they had been filled in. His sister was panicking. How could they possibly keep them all away?Aang pointed at the sky.

"We have something they don't. Air power! We control the sky. That' something the Fire Nation can't do. We can win!" He said confidently. It was then the mechanist came in. He wanted to help. The Avatar smiled. They would need it.

"Of course I'll be helping too, but there's something you must know about me first. Right, Aang, Sokka, Katara?" Chenlian said meaningfully. The three looked at each other and protectively stood next to her while the airbender stepped forward a little to explain.

"Right... there's something we must tell you, but you must not get scared. We trust her no matter what. She's helped us countless times..."

"Aang..." Chenlian sighed. He was clearly stalling for fear of their reaction. "What he's trying to tell you... is that I'm a firebender." She produced a little flame. "And as you can see, I'm also their friends. I'm hunted down and considered a traitor by the Fire Nation. Well, it's true I want to overthrow the Fire Lord and change the Fire Nation from within. I want to end this war and restore balance and truth. My grandfather's a master firebender but also a deserter. My parents were exiled and killed for having opposed the Fire Lord. My power will definitely be useful. So I will help even if you don't want me to." She declared again, tall, proud, and confident. However, by the end of her speech, it almost looked and sounded as if she was defying them to try to stop her and lock her up. And that made her friends chide her again. It was because she was always like that that people misunderstood her. Giving people the impression that she was picking a fight was NOT the best way to make them accept her and trust her. "What are you saying? There's no way a firebender like me would be trusted and accepted anyway. At least not from the get-go. Isn't it better to make things clear from the start? And we aren't planning on staying long anyway." The mahogany-haired girl replied as if stating the obvious, again assuming and deciding things on her own. There was a small silence during which all eyes were turned to her and she was looking back at her comrades cluelessly. She was really a fighter through and through. Not only because of her almost constant (sometimes voluntary, usually (half?)unconsciously) challenging attitude she had with anyone and everyone. She wasn't the type to give tearful apologies and blame herself endlessly because of what her country had done. It was useless to cry over the past. She could only take steps so that what happened before won't happen again. If there was something she could do then she would do it no matter what. That was all there was to it. Suddenly, the silence was broken by Teo.

"I trust you. And I accept you."

"What?! No way!" The four other youths turned to him, their faces painted with great surprise.

"The Avatar knows about you. And so do Sokka and Katara. They trust you and have accepted you. And so I will too."

"Besides, you seem to have been together for quite some time. If you had really wanted to betray Aang, you should have had more than one chance to do so." The inventor put a hand on his son's shoulder. They both had such kind and sympathetic smiles when looking at her. After a time, Chenlian looked down and smiled in good-hearted self-derision.

"Maybe you should be more distrusting..." And as she looked up to them her smile became so bright and sincere and warm, a smile that conveyed her thanks and feelings more keenly than words ever would. A smile that caught Teo unprepared and made him blush. It was a thing to see her radiant smile when she was having fun gliding; it was another to see it like this. He had not expected that.

Then they gathered everyone and told them about Chenlian's circumstances. They were much warier and reluctant to let a firebender roam free in their midst, even if she was the Avatar's companion. A number had lost family, land, or both, to the Fire Nation. It was quite difficult, but with the father and son's help, they somehow managed to convince them that she posed no threat to them. On the contrary they could use her to fight fire with fire. And so she was allowed freedom under careful watch. And all went to prepare for the battle... until those who had chosen to fight were called to the mechanist's office. They had finally got the war balloon working, thanks to Sokka. The two called each other a genius and thanked each other. Aang and Katara were looking at each other strangely over this self-congratulatory exchange. Chenlian was waiting patiently (or ignoring them). The 'geniuses' explained that the problem with the old war balloon was you could get it airborne, but once you did, it just kept going. He demonstrated with a model that went up and hit the ceiling. They could put a hole in the top, but then all the hot air would escape. So the question became, how do you keep a lid on hot air?

"Ugh, if only we knew." The waterbender told the little monk. Aang, Teo and Katara laughed. Even Chenlian was amused. Well, she had already seen the answer. She was amused at how Sokka was stalling and presenting things for a more dramatic effect. He showed a slightly different model.

"A lid is actually the answer. If you control the hot air, you control the war balloon." He demonstrated by pulling a string connected to the lid that opened and closed it. His sister commented appreciatively that it was actually pretty smart. "Okay, we've got four kinds of bombs. Smoke, slime, fire and-"

"Stink. Never underestimate the power of stink!"

Later, on the lower terrace, many temple residents had come to look out over the edge. A little girl warned everyone the invaders were coming. Everyone was ready but they didn't know where Sokka and the war balloon could be. Aang jumped off Appa and opened his glider as he landed. They would have to start without him. Momo landed on the top of Aang's glider. Teo smiled and put on his goggles. On the terrace that had become a landing strip, two rows of gliders stood ready to launch. Aang and Teo were near the head, along with Chenlian. The glider did ease her flying considerably. They took off. The other inhabitants cheered. The steep mountain side was choked with Fire Nation soldiers climbing up its winding path. Following Aang and Teo, the gliders dived and broke through the clouds, dropping various bombs on the surprised soldiers, while from the head of the line, Chenlian forced the attackers back with a large, powerful, and scorching jet of fire, completely routing them. Many fell off the path into the crevices below because of the bombs or the disorderly retreat.

The Fire Nation soldiers lowered their spears but were bombed by gliders. The Avatar jumped off his glider onto a switchback just above the most advanced part of the infantry column. He created an air scooter, and rode along, causing an avalanche that engulfed a number of soldiers. When he reached the end of the switchback, he killed the air scooter and jumped back onto his glider. Those left started running back down the path. Now that they were on the run, the defenders needed to slime. They soared back to Appa who was floating above the clouds. Katara was handing bombs to the gliders.

Suddenly, several huge spikes shot up through the clouds, narrowly missing the bison. The chained spikes embedded themselves deep into the rock near the Temple. Appa flew hard to avoid the grappling hooks being thrown up all over the place. Heavily armored tracked vehicles were using those hooks to scale the sheer cliff. And before these tanks, bombs had little effect. The airbender stuck his glider staff into the naked rock and pulled out one of the grappling hooks. The tank dropped like a rock, but it fired another grappling hook straight up, narrowly missing Aang. It caught on the rock above, and the tank slammed back into the mountain face and started climbing once again. With a fiery blade, Chenlian melted all the chains as she flew by, making the tanks drop too. Then she turned around to do the same with the second chains. However, the sheer number made it impossible to stop them all while being targeted by fireballs.

They arrived on the small snowy plateau area at the base of the Temple. The firebenders in the turrets started shooting blasts of fire, which the gliders avoided, sometimes barely. More bombs dropped as retaliation, but proved ineffective against the Fire Nation armor. One firebender got slimed right as Aang landed into the center of an advancing platoon of tanks. He blew them away, making them fall upside down, but the central cabins of the vehicles just flipped over and they advanced again. They fired more blasts at the Avatar, who avoided them. Katara, who was surveying the battlefield with Teo, was dispairing? Those things were unstoppable!

"I wouldn't say that. Look!" Teo contradicted her as Chenlian landed before Aang and cut the axles with with arches of fire. "I think I know how they work. I remember my dad tinkering with the counterbalancing system. Something to do with water. Works great, huh?"

"Water? Can you get me close to one?"

"No problem!" Teo swooped and deposited Katara next to the airbender and firebender. She assumed a bending stance, and breathed ice, stopping the vehicle before bending the water within it and making its wheels fall off. She lifted another with a wall of ice and it fell over, broken. The girls had disposed of a number tanks but an equal number was bearing down on them. Aang and Chenlian jumped in front of Katara and batted away or reflected the fire blasts. Appa's massive bulk suddenly landed before them. He roared, and tossed aside the two point tanks with his head. The three benders climbed onto him and the bison took off. They surveyed the battlefield and it was clear that the situation was not good. Broken down tanks dotted the snow, but most were still advancing, now closely supported by infantry formations.

Chenlian leapt again. Since they were out of bombs, Teo, Aang, and Katara had gone down on the terrace for a hasty council. The female firebender was now facing the invaders alone, but that was just what she wanted. This way, she wouldn't have to fear involving her friends. Her eyes glowed like molten gold and red markings appeared on her body. She erected a rampart of fire that advanced onto the invaders, heating the metal of the tanks so much the soldiers fled. The heat distorted the metal and melted it a little, rendering the machines useless. The wall dissipated. However, tanks and soldiers were still marching on the plateau below. It was then that a red war balloon with a Fire Nation symbol appeared. It vaguely resembled a blimp with its removable top and tail fin. The basket contained the coal burning plant that provided the heat for the balloon's air, as well as Sokka and the inventor. Attached to the basket were four huge sacks. The young warrior wondered why the soldiers were shooting at them. The mechanist explained that it was because of the insignia that let them think they were on the same side.

"Then I guess they won't see this coming." The water tribesman cut a rope with a knife and the slime bomb fell. Soon, the three others followed. The slime washed most of the infantry away, but the tanks continued. They reached the next cliff to scale and began to use their grappling hooks. "Oh no! That was the last one!" Sokka remarked, alarmed.

"Wait a second." The old man sniffed the air. "You smell that?" The boy recognised the stench of rotten eggs. They were passing over a crevasse. That was where the gas was escaping. He got an idea. Chenlian was cutting chain after chain and blowing troops away with strong blasts of fire. Sokka started dislodging the coal burning plant, obviously planning to throw it overboard. The inventor tried to stop him as it was their fuel source. However, that was the only bomb they had left. He dropped the furnace into the crevasse.  
The temple was suddenly buffeted by a series of enormous, fiery explosions at its base. The furnace had ignited the escaping natural gas. The temple was covered in smoke. When it cleared, the grappling hook chains were dangling in the breeze with nothing attached to them. In the distance, the remaining Fire Nation troops were running back down the mountain. Chenlian stood up. She had immediately and instinctively thrown herself in the snow when she had seen the coal burning plant fall.

"Look! They're retreating!" Aang exclaimed. Everyone cheered. But that didn't last long. The balloon was going down!

"No! Sokka! Hold on!" Katara cried.

Aang and Chenlian sprang into action. Sokka attached a rope to his boomerang and told the old inventor to get ready. As the Avatar flew by, Sokka threw the boomerang that caught on Aang's foot, pulling the two men clear of the falling balloon while Chenlian supported them. As the airbender flew them back up, the firebender looked back at the descending balloon and on a spur of the moment, extended the jets of flames from her feet. They reached the basket that caught fire.

On the main terrace, the monk was surrounded by his friends. Behind him was a circular stone bench on which Katara and some of the black and white hermit crabs were sitting.

"You know what? I'm really glad you guys all live here now. I realized it's like the hermit crab." He picked one up from the stone bench. "Maybe you weren't born here, but you found this empty shell and made it your home. And now you protect each other."

"That means a lot coming from you." Teo said, touched.

"Aang, you were right about air power." Sokka pointed at the sky. "As long as we've got the skies we'll have the Fire Nation on the run!" At this, everyone cheered again. Everyone but the inventor and Chenlian who looked down, troubled. When they thought of the fallen war balloon, they had a bad feeling, and sincerely hoped that it had burned completely before reaching the ground.

But it was not the case. The flames had been put off as soon as they could be reached, and now, amidst the snow covered trees, a group of Fire Nation soldiers stood around the fallen balloon. True, the basket was over half eaten and ropes had been cut. But not all, and the balloon itself was only blackened on the belly. The soldiers were heating the air inside it, causing it to refill.

"This defeat is the gateway to many victories." The commander smiled darkly, his fingers joined, at the Fire Nation insigna on the side of the balloon.


	22. Expectations and disappointments

**Fight****22: Expectations and Disappointments**

"I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?" Sokka complained petulantly as Appa passed just over a backstroking koala-otter that ducked back into the water. The boy was leaning over the back of the saddle, looking in the direction they came from. The ocean around them was picked with many large icebergs. The bison was clearly tired and his feet often brushed the water.

"I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?" Aang retorted angrily, turning back from his driver's seat and pointing at Sokka.

"I'd love to! Climb on everyone!" He wiggled his butt at everyone. "Sokka's ready for takeoff!" He replied sarcastically. However, Momo took it to the letter and jumped up on his back in response to his invitation.

"Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight." Katara tried to temper them. Only Chenlian remained completely quiet and calm. She was lying down, her eyes closed. At first they would always fuss over her because they were worried about how she would be received at the North Pole, but their concern had been dismissed. She persisted that everything would be fine without telling them why. It was truly bugging how she could be so laid back in such circumstances and appear to care so little about their feelings for her. Was it overconfidence? They thought so at the beginning but it didn't seem to be case. What was she hiding? What was the basis of her self-assurance?

"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here." Suddenly a noise was heard up ahead. Ice was moving rapidly towards Appa. Aang screamed and pulled hard on the reigns to starboard. The animal banked right and avoided the ice, but almost tipped his passengers off the saddle. They hung on for dear life. The bison then swerved left as another jet of ice erupted out of the waves, but this one caught one of his feet and his underside. The ice broke because of the momentum and Appa dropped in an uncontrolled spin into the ocean. Out of the icebergs several ornate wooden skiffs came to surround them. The crafts were manned by people in water tribe garb. They were waterbenders. At last, they had found the Northern Water Tribe. Or rather, the Water Tribe had found them.

"He's heading north. The Northern Water Tribe. The Avatar needs to master waterbending. He's looking for a teacher." Zhao turned from his map of of the world to address the other officers in the war council tent. It was in a Fire Navy port, in the far north of the Earth Kingdom continent.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get him!"

"Patience, Captain Li. This isn't some little Earth village we can just march into. The Water Tribe is a great nation. There's a reason they've survived a hundred years of war. The frozen tundra is treacherous. The landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need a massive invasion force."

Appa was swimming in the middle of a formation of Water Tribe boats. Aang stood up and pointed ahead. They saw a humongous ice wall with the water tribe symbol and many turrets. The waterbender crew removed a semi-circular opening to reveal a tunnel that lead into the city. A water tribesman motioned them forward and Appa swam in. They arrived at a square lock with waterbenders lines atop of the four walls. They opened sluice gates along the three walls of the lock to raise the water level. The fourth wall lowered, freeing a path for Appa to continue. Katara and Aang couldn't believe how many waterbenders lived up here. They would have no problem finding a master to teach them! The bison swam out and into the canal. The Avatar and Southern Water Tribe members were grining wildly and looking around in wonder. Chenlian had a small nostalgic smile. The ice city was breathtakingly beautiful. It also had three interior walls in addition to the main city walls. All the way in the back was the citadel. More and more villagers came to watch them skiff through the canals and gawk from the houses and foot bridges. Aang waved at them as they passed. The city was loaded with beautiful interconnected streams, waterfalls and fountains. They passed another boat with a waterbender and a beautiful young Water Tribe woman with white, elaborately styled hair and a slightly purplish coat rather than the normal blue. Sokka focused on her, blushed and tried to follow her by running down Appa's tail.

"This place is beautiful." Katara commented.

"Yeah, she is." Her brother 'agreed', looking dreamily at the girl as the boat moved away.

"Chenlian!" A male voice suddenly exclaimed. They looked up and saw a waterbender arriving full speed on an arch of ice.

"Ryuho!" She yelled back, ecstatic. The young man, about the same age as them immediately bended an ice pike at her. Aang and the others screamed. She melted it and attacked him with an arch of fire from below. He quenched it and bended other pikes at her from behind that evaporated in an instant. The others tried to interfere but she stopped all their attacks and destroyed Ryuuho's transport means, making him fall on Appa. They lost no time and engaged in hand to hand combat. And to the firebender's friends' great surprise, he could keep up with her. And what was even more surprising was their wide grins. Suddenly, Chenlian caught his left arm with her right, impaired him by blocking his torso with her left arm, and swept his legs. He fell on his back and she put a flame dagger at his neck. However, the tip of an ice blade was also pressing against her throat. They smiled even more broadly.

"You seem well."

"You too." Their weapons disappeared and she helped him up. They tightly hugged each other. When they pulled away, there was fondness and respect in their eyes. She introduced him to her bewildered friends. He was a student of the master here. How they had come to be like this? After her first escape from the Fire Nation, and soon before her recapture, she had come here following some people's advice. After having been taken prisoner and interrogated, they had tolerated her presence and she had been allowed to watch the master. Of course, she had not been very well accepted and was regularly attacked at night so she'd have trouble seeing their faces and the attackers' waterbending was strong and her firebending weak. And he had been one of the attackers. He had been puzzled by her lack of enmity and retaliation despite the way she was treated and started observing her more and more. They also started talking. He had also noticed and heard of her horrible state by the healers. They had never seen so many wounds and scars, both internal and external on a single body, let alone a female. But she was a firebender, not a waterbender. She was mysterious, curious... And that was how they had come to discover, understand and respect each other. And while he still couldn't bring himself to like the Fire Nation, he had come to quite like Chenlian...

The dim light of the waning moon shone on Prince Zuko's docked ship. In the night, a pipa played a simple staccato tune. Drums soon accompanied the tempo given by Lieutenant Jee. Iroh started singing slightly out of the tune. They were around a campfire on the deck. Two crewmen danced together. Then a group of masked Fire Nation soldiers boarded the ship, including Admiral Zhao. The music stopped. Iroh and the others turned to look at the intruders.

In the citadel of Northern Water Tribe, large drums had also started playing. The closest side of the plaza showed the backs of the city's rulers as well as the guests of honor, Aang and his friends. Attendants brought Appa a huge pallet of seaweed. He roared, scaring them and making them run screaming. Sokka grinned understandingly and amusedly as Appa started eating. In the center, four people lowered a huge plate of food into a pond of steaming hot water.

"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe, as well as the return of our esteemed friend Chenlian. And they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now." Chief Arnook gestured toward Aang. "The Avatar!" The crowd cheered. "We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday." He backed up to reveal his beautiful white haired daughter flanked by two attendants, walking up to the table. They all bowed, smiling. "Princess Yue is now of marrying age." At this, Sokka looked at her with wide eyes.

"Thank you, father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times."

"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!" The Chief motioned towards three men who now stood on the dais in front of the fountain opposite the dignitaries' table. The center man was clearly the eldest with a bald top, but long white hair on the sides of his head and down his back. Behind him at his right was Ryuho. They bended water from three enormous amphorae in front of them. The crowd began to cheer. Aang and Katara looked at each in utter delight while they clapped while Chenlian watched the show with the same enjoyment... though much more attentively. Sokka was stuffing his face full of food when a figure walked behind him and sat down next to him. It was Princess Yue. He gulped his mouthful and tried to strike a cool pose next to her.

"Hi, there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe." He greeted her, however, since his aloofness wasn't natural, he looked and sounded cheesy at best.

"Very nice to meet you." The princess smiled and bowed slightly and politely.

"So... uh you're a Princess!" The boy desperately did his best to strike a conversation and make himself seem as important as he possibly could. Yue nodded and smiled again. "You know, back in my tribe, I'm kinda like a Prince myself!"

"Ha! Prince of what?" His sister scoffed.

"A lot of things! Uh, do you mind? I'm trying to have a conversation here!"

"My apologies, Prince Sokka." Katara bowed mockingly.

"So it looks like I'm gonna be in town for awhile. I'm thinking maybe we could... do an activity together?" The southern water tribe warrior tried to recover but finished lamely.

"Do an activity?" The princess repeated, an eyebrow raised in an amused way. The boy started sweating, paused then stuffed his mouth with food on the table.

"Very smooth." Katara clearly enjoyed her brother's lame attempt at courting.

However, their fun was interrupted by Master Pakku's – and Chief Arnook's - unexpected proposal. They wanted Chenlian to do a performance too. Well, more precisely, the master wanted to see the results of Chenlian's training, what she had learned and remembered until now. She smiled and readily accepted. That old man and his annoying condescending, downgrading, challenging attitude... he really had not changed at all. A genius at waterbending and putting people – and especially women – off. That said, she didn't hate that aspect of him. On the contrary, it was most motivating for her. She really loved challenges.

Aang looked at the girl and the old man. They were smiling but it was like he was seeing sparks flying inbetween them and felt kind of scared to approach. But if he extended his sense, he realized it wasn't so simple. Their relationship appeared conflictual on the surface, but deeper they were linked by mutual respect and understanding. They just weren't really the type to show it openly, or had their own complicated/abnormal way of showing it.

Chenlian climbed on the stage, bowed, and began. She leant far to the left, extended her left arm, and with her right hand made a flame appear above her left and stretched it, grew it, bended it in a circle around her, moving very much like the waterbenders had done a little earlier. Then she threw it upward like a large wave that disappeared. She hurled another with her other left hand. And her movements started changing. Those moves... Katara had seen Aang do some of them! The girl bended a tornado of fire before her, but to the audience's awe, a dragon appeared out of the tornado that flew above their heads before returning to its mistress' side. It coiled around her and dissipated. When they could see her again, she was standing with one knee up, and her palms on either side of her head turned toward the night sky. She danced on a semi circular path like Aang had seen her once in a vision with her dragon. When the semi circle was completed, she was leaning one side, having thrown both her fists above her head, almost parallel to the ground. She followed with a butterfly jump and the much more rooted stances and powerful shots of earthbenders and at last... her own style which blended everything much more smoothly, erasing the borders, the limits for a solid but beautiful and fluent performance. And in the end, red markings covered her body, her eyes glowed gold, and multicolored flames shot up from her mouth. The fire dissipated. She returned to her usual self, and bowed.

After a round of applause, the chief, the master, and the avatar joined her. Aang was as usual rather... expressive with his compliments, Arnook was kind, and Pakku very curt (although he was indeed praising her). And the Avatar was introduced to the waterbender as his new student.

"Just because you're destined to save the world, don't expect any special treatment." The master warned with the same curt tone.

"My friend and I can't wait to start training with you after we relax for a couple days." Aang tried to ignore the old man's brusqueness.

"If you want to relax, then I suggest visiting a tropical island. If not, I'll see you both at sunrise. Chenlian, will you come too?"

"No. I need to focus on my own training. I require an open space away from people.

"More fire tricks?"

"No, I've started on the sub-technique. My teacher has aldready given me the instructions. And I also want to attend the healing classes."

Meantime, Prince Zuko was standing in a dark corner of his dark cabin on his ship, his arms folded across his chest, the very image of a sulking child. The door at the far end of the cabin opened and Iroh came in. Zuko looked further away from him.

"For the last time, I'm not playing the tsungi horn." The prince warned.

"No, it's about our plans. There's a bit of a problem." His uncle remarked timidly. It was then that Zhao entered the room too and declared he was taking his crew. The teen snapped at him immediately. The admiral had recruited the crew for a little expedition to the North Pole. The young man asked his relative for confirmation. "I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone." Iroh put his arm over his face in woe. "Even the cook!"

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar... and the traitor Chenlian. But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko charged in anger, but Iroh prevented him from tackling Zhao, who, unfazed, walked over to inspect the dual dao words on the wall. They were the same used by the Blue Spirit to free the Avatar. Recognition and then anger spread and smoldered on his face like an unwholesome fever as he remembered the Blue Spirit wielding the blades during the escape. He took one off the wall. Zuko's eyes widened, his mouth opened, his face froze in an expression of sheer fear as he realized the danger he was in. The admiral started practicing with the sword.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."

"I'm not. They're antiques. Just decorative." The teen recovered and averted his face.

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumors. I don't think he is real."

"He's real all right. Then have you heard of the Dragon Princess? I don't know if she's a traitor or if she's just using that mask to mock us. Anyway, they're both criminals, enemies of the Fire Nation." He handed the broad sword to Iroh but his eyes were intent on the young man. "But I have a feeling that justice will catch up with them soon... By the way, Prince Zuko, I seem to remember that Chenlian was an accomplished straight sword user, wasn't she? She had one at her waist at that time. Did you know? Some time ago I almost captured her along with her deserter of a grandfather. A pity I couldn't see her talent with the sword then though... General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands if you change your mind." Zhao closed the door behind him.

Katara and Aang were walking towards a huge ice staircase up to the citadel. The girl had waited for this day her whole life, the day when she could finally get to learn from a real waterbending master! They arrived and saw Master Pakku manipulating a blob of water. The Avatar loudly and cheerfully greeted him. The old man dropped the water with a grimace.

"No, please, march right in, I'm not concentrating or anything." He replied cynically.

"Uhh this is my friend, Katara, the one I told you about?" Katara bowed while Aang introduced her with a sheepish tone. The master looked over at her as if she were a bug.

"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending." He declared after sitting on an ice chair he had created. Katara was doubtlessly shocked, but her resentment and indignation superceded the shock by far.

"What do you mean you won't teach me?" She exclaimed, going up to Pakku. "I didn't travel across the entire world so you could tell me no!"

"No."

"But there must be other female waterbenders in your tribe!" She reasoned. The elder informed her that here the women learned from Yugoda to use their waterbending to heal, and he was sure she would be happy to take her as her student despite her bad attitude. And she would be with her friend too.

"I don't want to heal, I want to fight!"

"I can see that. That a female firebender would want to heal and a female waterbender would want to fight... the world seems to have been turned upside down... But our tribe has customs, rules."

"Well your rules stink!"

"Yeah! They're not fair." Aang joined up with his friend. "If you won't teach Katara, then-"

"Then what?" Pakku stood up.

"Then I won't learn from you!" The monk started walking away, sounding, looking, and acting exactly like a child throwing a tantrum. The Master told him to have fun teaching himself. He would certainly do a great job.

"Wait!" Katara called the Avatar back before turning to Pakku. "Aang didn't mean that." She ran over to her friend and grabbed him by the shoulder to stop him. "You can't risk your training for me. You have to learn from Master Pakku. Even if he is a big jerk." She glared back at the old man. The boy nodded glumly, and swung his body around lazily to face the smug face of his new master.

"Why don't we get started then." Master Pakku waterbended a huge rush of water at Aang, washing him away.

Sokka ran across a bridge beneath which Princess Yue's boat was slowly moving along. He hailed her, loudly and cheerfully too, and started trotting on the sidewalk that ran alongside the canal, and the boat floating down the canal. He talked about the "picnic last night" and how her dad sure knew how to throw a party. And she was glad he had enjoyed himself. When he told her it hadn't been as much fun after she had left, the princess looked away, blushing, and a huge, toothy smile appeared on his own blushing face. The boy was still hoping they could see more of each other.

"Do an activity, you mean?"

"Yes! At a place! For some time!" He said excitedly, his eyes wide, detaching each word to keep from talking too fast and retain a cool exterior.

"I'd love to!" However, Yue wasn't fooled, and her eyes closed, her nose in the air, she was the coolest one. She pointed ahead, at the bridge in front of them. "I'll meet you on that bridge tonight."

"Great! I'll see you aahh!" Before he could finish, Sokka fell in a canal. He had been so busy gawking he had failed to notice the end of the sidewalk. The girl laughed and waved goodbye before apologizing for laughing. The boy hauled himself out of the water. "That's okay, it was worth it." He said to himself, as he falls over backwards to lie flat on the sidewalk. "See you tonight."

"Ryuho, what are you doing here? The order not to come close to this place should have been passed around already. You didn't get it?" Chenlian asked, slightly aggravated.

"I did."

"Then why?"

"Precisely because you gave such a demand."

"You... do you know that what you're doing is called picking a fight?"

"Really? I would have called it caring about a friend. I know what you're trying to do here."

"Then all the more reason not to come. If you really understand and care then leave now."

"You really haven't changed." The waterbender let out a heavy sigh.

"Stop sighing like I'm being a bother." The girl ordered again a little more angrily.

"But you are a bother. Undergoing such dangerous training alone... putting distance between you and others, being careful not to involve them so you wouldn't hurt them, shouldering everything on your own... What do you think would happen if you hurt yourself? And you'll only attend the healing classes the afternoon too." Ryuho scolded her like a mother her unreasonable child. The firebender said nothing and turned around. The boy sighed again. "Well, I know you all have your own battles and you want them to concentrate on what they should be doing and I know you've been taking care of yourself all this time, but that was because you didn't have a choice, right? You should be able to understand now that you don't need to be alone anymore. That's why, as your friend, I'm going to get involved even if you don't want me to."

**_"He's right."_** Guang's voice suddenly startled her.

_"Why are you interfering now? I thought you had decided not to talk to me anymore? You wouldn't answer no matter how much and how many times I called you!" _She shot back petulantly.

**_"Because you had become socially impaired. You're human. Humans live in communities. You needed to remember how to behave around other humans you truly cared for, and with whom you intended to form long-lasting relations. And you needed to forge those bonds on your own. You shouldn't just rely on me."_**

_"You'd be the type to throw your child in the river to teach them how to swim. And since you've started talking to me again, does that mean I've become human again?"_

**_"You've got passing grades... thanks to the Avatar and his –your– friends. But you're still just barely starting to heal! Friendship isn't about one-sidedly looking after someone, you must also let others take care of you. Even if you say you understand, you don't. Even your head knows, your heart-" _**

"Waaahh! I get it, I get it already! No more lectures! Don't blame me if you get badly hurt or if your girlfriend dumps you."

"So you noticed..."

"Well, it has been a long time, of course you'd have one." Then the two remained silent for a long time during which he kept staring at her back, straight, tall, proud, firm, and yet... suddenly she turned around and smiled sweetly at him. "When everything is over, introduce her to me."

"Alright." He smiled back. She had certainly grown more open and cheerful, doubtlessly thanks to the Avatar, Katara and Sokka. But even now, he could still detect sadness and loneliness deep in her heart. Even now, she could not truly be happy. Back then, she always seemed to be searching for something... but her answers were not in the Water Tribe. So she had left. He had wanted to go with her. He could have followed her. But in the end, both had their own path to walk. They might cross for a time but never be the same and they knew and accepted it. And now, although her goal had become clearer, she still had not gotten hold of that something, that someone, that one and only person who could reach into the deepest recesses of her heart and make her happy. She had not gotten hold of him but his shadow had always been looming over her. It was already there when she had come to the tribe, and seemed to have been there for a long time already. "When everything is over, I will introduce her to you. So you too must introduce that man to me."

"That man?" Then looking into his blue eyes, Chenlian understood. The only man of truly great importance to her he didn't know about. "One day, maybe, if it becomes possible."

"Since when have you become so timid and unsure?"

"Idiot. Even I know that there are things that are impossible and can't be bent through force and will. As always, I will do my best, and if it's still impossible, then I will fall, cry, despair, stand up again and start walking once more."

"Good, if you're like this, I'm sure you'll be able to succeed... in your training at least."

"You were talking about that?!"

"Now now, what you want to do requires a complete absence of emotions and peace of mind, right? It won't do if you're too anxious. And if you speak about yin and yang then you must ask a waterbender, right?"

"You really did your research."

"Also, Master Pakku told me to ask you to let your schedule open for a few games of Pai Sho." Ryuho relayed. The girl complained. He had students to give him company for that. "Well, he always says we give up too quickly and don't resist him enough." The waterbender replied sheepishly. "Still, speaking of Pai Sho, that one had really shocked me." He commented, though Chenlian had no idea what he was talking about. "When you were imprisoned here and the Master just up and decided to have a game of Pai Sho with the captive, you... what more... you suddenly put the white lotus tile in the middle and then you two drew a lotus flower on the board so quickly. And then he said you could be released. I had no idea what was going on."

"Haha, maybe he'll tell you one day."

"I'm very impressed." Zhao praised. He was seated at his desk, a small chest and a lamp in front of him... and pirates. "You all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind."

The captain with the lizard-parrot pulled the chest and opened it, revealing the glowing riches inside. The pirate barker removed a gold piece and bit it. That was some tasty gold! The captain grabbed it and put it back in the chest.

"What do you need us to do?"

"I believe you're acquainted with Prince Zuko?" The admiral smiled maliciously.

Inside a building of the Northern Water Tribe city, a man sized dummy was lying flat on an ice bed in the middle of the main chamber. The ice bed was surrounded by water. The dummy had pathways or channels etched all over its surface. A hand bended water through the pathways which flowed white. A dozen students were sitting in a semi circle while the teacher, an old woman, demonstrated.

"Um, hi. Are you Yugoda?" Katara entered the room on her left. It was the middle of the afternoon. And she had taken from sunrise to now to calm down. The old woman asked if she was here for the healing lesson.

"You're late, Katara." Chenlian smiled. Her waterbender friend looked at her. That smile... certainly, the mahogany-haired girl had known that Pakku would refuse to teach her... and that she would come here, feeling she had to do something. But the firebender wasn't being disagreeable. For her, healing and fighting were equally important. Besides the two of them, the students were all girls younger than them. She heaved a sigh, walked forward and sat down.

"I guess I am." Katara answered them. She was warmly welcomed by the teacher.

Meantime, Aang's training wasn't going very well. He looked sullen and unhappy and he was still angry about how the master had rebuffed Katara earlier.

"You're moving the water around, but you're not feeling the push and pull."

"I'm trying!" The Avatar retorted through gritted teeth. Pakku suggested he tried an easier move since this one seemed too advanced for him. Aang threw the water to the ground in frustration.

The young girls were taking the dummy out on its stretcher, leaving Katara, Chenlian and Yugoda. They walked over to their teacher and thanked her for the lesson when the old lady asked her fellow waterbender who the lucky boy was. The teen didn't understand until the woman pointed at her betrothal necklace. She was getting married, right? Katara smiled. She didn't think she was ready for that yet. Her grandmother had given her mother this necklace, and her mother had passed it down to her.

"I recognize this carving! I don't know why I didn't realize sooner! You're the spitting image of Kana!" Yugoda suddenly exclaimed, taking a closer look at the necklace.

"Wait, how do you know my Gran-Gran's name?"

"When I was about your age I was friends with Kana. She was born here, in the Northern Tribe."

"She never told me." Katara looked away. Yugoda informed her that Kana had had an arranged marriage with a young waterbender. He had carved that necklace for her. The young girl asked why her Gran-Gran had left if she had been engaged. But the teacher didn't know. It had always been a mystery to her as Kana had left without saying goodbye.

The crew stood outside the ship and one of them yelled 'good luck!'. Prince Zuko was still lying in bed, his arms crossed. He was clearly sulking. The door opened and Iroh stuck his head in.

"The crew wanted me to wish you safe travels."

"Good riddance to those traitors."

"It's a lovely night for a walk. Why don't you join me? It would clear your head." The old man cheerfully suggested. However, his smile faded away before his nephew's stubborness and lack of response. "Or, just stay in your room and sit in the dark. Whatever makes you happy." He sighed and left. Humming in the night, Iroh walked along the dock. Behind him, a green parrot-lizard flew by. It was still quite some time before pirates climbed onto the deck. Smiling evily, the barker lowered down some ropes with hooks at end. His comrades on the small skiff below attached barrels to the hooks that were hoisted up. A pirate almost dropped a barrel but recovered it.

"Careful with the blasting jelly!" The barker whispered angrily. However, that same pirate made a much larger noise than intended when opening a latch... And Zuko heard it and bolted upright, alarmed.

"Uncle? Uncle, is that you?" He opened the door and looked out into the corridor. Feeling something was wrong, he frowned and jumped out into the hallway in a fighting stance. Warily, the firebender advanced to the bridge, ready for instant combat around every corner. On the main deck, the pirates lit a trail of gunpowder and then ran off the ship. Zuko was walking around the bridge when he looked out one of the bridge windows to see the pirate captain's green reptile bird. It croaked at him and took off. The boy's eyes widened in fear and realization... only too late. The lit gunpowder reached the barrels of blasting jelly. The bridge deck and main deck exploded, blasting Zuko out the bridge window. Another explosion ripped the vessel completely open mid ship. Iroh, alerted by the noise, turned and, shocked, horrified, saw the explosion in full bloom.

"Zuko!" The old man ran back to the burning ship. He reached the dock, burning debris falling all around him, and could only watch, powerless, grief-stricken, at the massive fireball that his nephew's ship had become. He lowered his face. "Zuko." He whispered.

Night had fallen when Sokka ran up the winding staircase attached to the bridge where Yue was waiting to meet him. He sidled up to her. She looked disturbed. He greeted her and offered something he had carved himself. She mistook the rudely carved object for a bear. The boy corrected her. Actually, that was a fish. He turned it sideways and pointed at the fin. Suddenly, for a reason, unknown to him, she broke down.

"Oh. I'm sorry! I made a mistake. I shouldn't have asked you to come here!" She turned away from him and fled, leaving Sokka stunned and hurt. He threw the carving into the canal in anger and returned to the small house he shared with his friends.

"How's warrior training going?" Katara asked him. In response her brother ragingly kicked his bag on the floor, fell to his knees, and then flopped on the bag, using it as a pillow.

"That bad?" Aang questioned. It was even worse than him.

"No, it's Princess Yue. I don't get it. One minute she wants to go out with me and the next she's telling me to get lost!" He ranted, then paused. "So how's waterbending training?" He turned to his sibling. Katara flopped onto her sleeping bag, depressed, her hood over her head.

"Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl." The Avatar explained crossly.

"Why don't you just teach her, Aang?" Sokka suggested. Katara raised her head with a smile.

"Why didn't I think of that?" She stood up. "At night, you can teach me whatever moves you learned from Master Pakku. That way you have someone to practice with and I get to learn waterbending. Everyone's happy!"

"I'm not happy." Her brother contradicted her.

"But you're never happy. Come on, Aang."

"Wait." Chenlian stopped them. "You do realize it'll have very, very, VERY grave consequences if you are found out, right? Pakku would definitely see this as a breach of trust and a sign of utter disrespect and step down from being Aang's teacher. Can you really afford the risk?"

"It'll be fine if we're not found out, right? But before that, tell me how did it go for you?"

"My training's going smoothly... I guess."

"No, no, I wasn't talking about that." The waterbender disagreed.

"Then what?"

"It's that Ryuho." Sokka translated.

"What about him?"

"'What' you say...aren't you-"

"We're just friends. Excellent friends, but still only friends. Nothing more, and nothing less. We can't be anything else." The firebender interrupted. But even though she was speaking so firmly, Katara was not satisfied. She wanted to know why. And Sokka too, despite his aloof attitude. No, right now, he was angry. Chenlian might be saying such things but they couldn't help but feel they were more than that. It was like they were holding back. But in the same time, they felt the truth in her words. They were more than friends, but they couldn't be lovers. However, that was something he could not accept now, because it reminded him of his own situation. And he refused to deny the possibilities as strongly as the firebender did. "Simply because the path we walk is too different. We just aren't made for each other." She explained. Aang kept quiet. It wasn't just that. She had someone else in her heart. In the end, she had chosen that person. And he was almost certain he knew who it was. He just had to remember the night of his rescue by these two from the Pohuai Stronghold for that. It might have been her choice, but would it really bring her happiness? He wasn't so sure. As the silence was settling a bit too heavily, he decided to break it and remind Katara of what she wanted to do. They left together. The other female let them go. She had warned them. Now it was up to them. They needed to learn... a lot of different things...

Sokka and Chenlian remained lying down. The boy had a sour face and the girl her 'tightly-sealed-shut' expression that wouldn't let anything in or out. Momo chittered in between them. They turned to him without a single change in their looks.

Katara and Aang were at the edge of some sort of small plaza that ended with steps that went down into the canal water. Aang raised a whip of water out of the canal and told her that Master Pakku had said this move was all about sinking and floating. He sent the water over to Katara who started to bend it.

"I got it!" She exclaimed, delighted. Suddenly, the water begins to whip around her very fast, then upward.

"That was amazing!" Aang held the sides of his head in excitement.

"That wasn't me." They looked up and Master Pakku was standing on the bridge above them. He had the water Katara had been bending. He froze it and broke it into pieces in a shower of icicles that embedded themselves in the railings of the bridge.

"I- I was just showing Katara a few moves." The Avatar justified himself guiltily.

"You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture." The old master accused implacably.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"You are no longer welcome as my student." The man declared and walked away, leaving an astonished Aang and Katara. That phrase had fallen upon them like a death sentence. They had heard Chenlian but had not believed it could really come down to this!

It was on the plaza where the feast had been held. Katara, Sokka, Chenlian and Aang were standing in front of the Chief, Princess Yue, Master Pakku, and all the tribe's council who were siting on a dais. Well, to be truthful, the firebender wanted to hurry and resume her training but suspected that if she stayed with them, she would be able to see something really great and epic.

"What do you want me to do? Force Master Pakku to take Aang back as his student?" Arnook suggested.

"Yes please!"

"I suspect he might change his mind if you swallow your pride and apologize to him." He voiced his opinion. The idea was hateful to Katara and it clearly showed. She looked over at Aang and turned back, obviously unhappy. She very reluctantly consented. The master smiled smugly.

"I'm waiting, little girl." He taunted her. Katara's hands balled up instantly to fists at this insult.

"No! No way am I apologizing to a sour old man like you!" As she shouted, cracks opened in the floor beneath her as her waterbending abilities began to get out of control. She ended up by pointing directly at Pakku. At the conclusion of her statement, the massive water pots at either end of the dais exploded. She ignored Aang's timid attempt to calm her down, for both of their sakes, and kept on challenging the master. "I'll be outside if you're man enough to fight me!" And with that, she marched away. The princess gasped in shock and the men stiffened and stood frozen. Chenlian was smirking, her arms crossed. That was how things should be done.

"I'm sure she didn't mean that." Aang pointed her thumb back at her with a sheepish look.

"Yeah, I think she did." Sokka disagreed.

"Well then, I guess I'll be waiting with her." The firebender followed after Katara. It was obvious she liked this situation quite a lot.

Iroh and Zhao were having tea opposite each other at a low table. A map of the world was occupying most of the wall behind them.

"I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko. Just devastated." The admiral offered his cheesy condolences.

"The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was responsible."

"You know who was behind the attack?" Zhao frowned suspiciously.

"Yes." He slammed his fist on the table. "Pirates! We had a run in with them awhile back." Pain at his loss and anger at the culprits were mixing on his face. Zhao's frown turned to a smile. "They wanted revenge."

"So, have you reconsidered my offer?" The admiral asked after a sip. Iroh bowed.

"Yes, I accept. It will be an honor to serve as your general." He raised his cup in a toast. "To the Fire Nation!"

"To victory!" Zhao raised his own cup.

"Are you crazy, Katara? You're not gonna win this fight!" Sokka desperately tried to stop his sister.

"I know! I don't care!" She took off her coat and threw it at her sibling, hitting him in the face.

"Chenlian, please stop her!" Sokka begged.

"She isn't fighting to win but to make a point. There are times when women have to fight for it too. Guys wouldn't understand. It's very courageous of her to fight for what she believes is right while knowing that she can't win. And I also completely agree with her reasons. Of course she has my full support." Chenlian answered naturally with a wide grin. The boy cursed the feminine solidarity. Aang decided to try to stop her too using a different approach... but also in vain.

"You don't have to do this for me. I can find another teacher."

"I'm not doing it for you! Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!" The waterbender kept marching angrily down the stairs. They reached the bottom of the steps as Master Pakku appeared at the top. Katara turned and saw him. "So, you decided to show up?" However, he just walked past her. "Aren't you gonna fight?!"

"Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong." The old man dismissed her contemptuously without even turning back. Insanely angry, Katara drew a water whip out of the ground and lashed Pakku on the back on the neck. He stopped and turned to face her. "Fine. You want to learn to fight so bad, study closely!" Master Pakku grabbed most of the water in the two huge pools on either side of him and bended it around himself. The girl ran at him, but was flung backwards by the water. She stood, now perhaps ten feet from Pakku. He bended the water in a wall around both of them. It spun faster and faster creating a whirlpool. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you!" The old man mocked. The whirlpool constricted. Katara swung her arm, deflecting the wall of water before it could knock her down. The errant wall of water hit Sokka and blew him away. The female waterbender ran at the veteran with a water whip. He raised a ramp of ice in front of her which she slid up and then back flipped off, landing neatly on the guardrail of the citadel steps behind him. Pakku liquefied the ramp and threw it at her. She secured her footing by encasing her feet in her ice, and broke the wave aiming at her, dissipating it.

"You can't knock me down!" She affirmed, very angry and determined. The crowd erupted in cheers behind her. The master raised a sheet of ice between him and the raging girl. Katara liquefied the ice as she reached it and throws several blows at Pakku, one of which nearly hit his face, before he washed her out of his way and into one of the pools with a wave of water. He smiled with satisfaction. She broke the surface of the water and the crowd cheered again. Katara then raised a circular pedestal of ice out of the pool and began to shoot slivers off the top of the pedestal. Pakku broke them as they arrived with swift movements. The last one however narrowly passed to the left side of his face. He could even see his own reflection in the passing disk of ice. With a bewildered and, perhaps, somewhat impressed look on his face, he turned back to Katara who was bending a stream of water around her which she hurled at Pakku, who caught it and began to twirl it around him. The female fighter ran at him again, but he swept her backwards when he released the stream of water. Aang and Sokka were waiting in stunned anticipation for the outcome. Ryuho had joined Chenlian and was standing right behind her. Katara was breathing heavily, her hair dissheveled. She jumped back up in a bending stance, made a motion, and the segmented pillars of ice behind the old man collapsed on him. It disappeared in a cloud of shining snow.

"Well, I'm impressed. You are an excellent waterbender." The master praised her.

"But you still won't teach me, will you?"

"No."

"With a cry of effort, Katara raised water near her feet, froze it, and sent it in a rolling wave along the floor to Pakku, who was lifted up on a pillar of ice when the wave reached him. He liquefied the base of the ice column and started to flow forward on it, like an iceberg riding along a river. Katara had produced her own stream of water and knocked him off his iceberg, but Pakku grabbed Katara's water and froze it in an arc around her with he slid around. As he exited the arc he knocked her down, her necklace falling near her. She was panting, her long dark brown hair now loose around her. The master bended a huge column of water out of one of the pools, made a whirlpool out of it in the air and then froze it into shards he cast down upon her. She was trapped. She struggled in vain against her prison of ice, her hands and arms unable to move.

"This fight is over." Pakku declared.

"Come back here! I'm not finished yet!"

"Yes, you are." But then he stopped in surprise, picking up the fallen necklace. "This is my necklace!" He exclaimed in wonder.

"No it's not, it's mine! Give it back!" Katara yelled back, angry and frustrated.

"I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life." He melted Katara's ice prison, freeing her. "For Kana."

"My Gran-Gran was supposed to marry you?" She uttered in disbelief.

A Fire Navy base. Ships lined the dock. Iroh walking down a corridor in Zhao's ship. A guard came walking from the opposite direction. They stopped when abreast of each other.

"Our plan is working perfectly. Zhao doesn't suspect a thing." The general whispered.

"You didn't have to do this." Zuko said, concerned about his uncle's standing and safety.

"No nephew of mine is going to stow away on a ship without some backup!" The old man affirmed strongly.

"Thank you, Uncle." The exiled prince was truly grateful. Then they heard a sound.

"Someone's coming!" Iroh warned. Zuko replaced his mask. "Stay hidden until we get to the North Pole and the Avatar will be yours! And if that is your wish, Chenlian too. Good luck!" They separated. Chenlian... did Zuko truly wish that she would be his? And then, in which sense of the word? Those questions had been plaguing him ever since he had left the crumbling Fire Temple on Crescent Island months ago. And the more time passed, the more it would eat him from the inside.

"I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her." Pakku said sadly. He was still holding the necklace.

"But she didn't love you, did she? It was an arranged marriage." Katara asserted. At this pronouncement, the Princess' eyes watered. The waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe approached the aged master and continued. "Gran-Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage." At this Yue began to cry openly and ran away. The Avatar, Chenlian, Ryuho, Chief Arnook, and Sokka watched her. Aang told Sokka to go get her.

Sokka ran after her. Yue was standing alone on the same bridge as before, tears streaming down her beautiful and sorrowful face. She heard footsteps approaching.

"What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. I just want you to know, I think you're beautiful and, I never thought a girl like you would even notice a guy like me."

"You don't understand."

"No, no, see, that's the thing. I think I do understand now. You're a princess, and I I'm just a southern peasant." The boy stated softly and dismally. He had given up, but he just had to convey his feelings.

"No, Sokka-"

"It's okay. You don't have to say anything. I'll see ya around, okay?" He turned to leave when she suddenly grabbed him, and her left arm hugging his right arm, her right hand on the side of his face, she kissed him, her soft lips pressed firmly against his. His blue eyes widened in surprise for a second before he closed them. After a time, she let go and stepped back a little. "Okay, now I'm really confused! Happy, but confused!" He held her hand in both of his.

"I do like you! A lot. But, we can't be together... and not for the reason you think. It's because..." She pulled down the collar of her coat to reveal a necklace similar to Katara's. "I'm engaged. I'm sorry!" She fled. Sokka hung his head.

The next morning, the aftermaths of the battle between Katara and Pakku were still visible. Near the steps, several students, including Aang, were standing before Master Pakku. The monk was waterbending around a ball of water. He threw it away after a few motions.

"Not bad! Not bad! Heheh! Keep practicing and maybe you'll get it by the time you're my age!" The master commented sarcastically. The boy looked momentarily unhappy, but then turned with a smile at the sound of footsteps behind him.

"Hey Katara!" He yelled out joyously. She slumped slightly, her hands on her knees, tired after her running.

"What do you think you're doing? It's past sunrise." Pakku began icily before smiling and taking his stance. "You're late."

"Good to see ya here." Aang rejoiced.

"You too." Katara smiled back as both took the same stance and started practicing along with the other students.

On the upper decks of Zhao's ship... The admiral and general were standing on the outside walkway around the bridge.

"My fleet is ready. Set a course for the Northern Water Tribe." Zhao ordered. The ship started moving, spiting flames and fumes from its chimney. And behind it, dozens upon dozens of Fire Navy ships also fired up their engines in preparation to launch the final assault on the Northern Water Tribe...


	23. The ash and the snow

**Fight****23: The Ash and the Snow**

The plaza at the foot of the citadel steps used as a training ground by Master Pakku and his students. The segmented ice columns that Katara had toppled during the duel had been repaired. It was morning and two waterbending students were facing off. The boy was obviously very nervous while on the other hand, the girl looked very confident. The boy raised up a ball of water, turned it to ice, and hurled it at his opponent. Katara bended the ice around her, liquefied it, and sent a huge stream of water back at the boy who was washed up and backwards. The water became ice that imprisoned him about ten feet off the ground. Katara relinquished her waterbending stance while Pakku approached from over her shoulder.

"Nice try, Pupil Sangok. A couple of more years and you might be ready to fight a sea sponge." The master commented with his usual condescending sarcasm. Pupil Sangok continued to struggle until Pakku turned away, made a motion with his left hand, and the ice prison melted, dropping the hapless student to the ground. "Would anyone care for a rematch with Katara?" He looked over at the rest of the male students who were sitting slumped on the ground... and who had all been beaten flat by the girl. And none wished to renew the experience just yet. Only Ryuho was absent. As usual, he was spending all his mornings with Chenlian (with the Master's permission as he was on a higher level than the others) "Katara, you have advanced more quickly than any student I have ever trained. You have proven that with fierce determination, passion and hard work you can accomplish anything. Raw talent alone is not enough." He glared at Aang who was laying on the ground, floating Momo around on an airball, a lazy smile on his face. "Pupil Aang!"

"Yes, Master Pakku?" He answered as the airball dissipated and Momo fell on his head.

"Care to step into the sparring circle? I figure since you've found time to play with house pets you must have already mastered waterbending."

"I wouldn't say mastered, but check this out!" The monk airbended himself to his feet and spun around, collecting snow around him as he went. When he was done, he had turned into a snowman. Momo pounced on him and knocked him down. Pakku and Katara were wearing similar expressions of disdain. The man shook his head in disgust.

"So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?" Princess Yue questioned. She was walking on a bridge, and Sokka on top of the guardrail of that bridge.

"Are you kidding? I grew up in a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub." The boy stopped walking and sat down. Yue laughed warmly, putting her hand on Sokka's shoulder. But after a moment she pulled back and looked at him seriously.

"Sokka, this is wrong."

"What's wrong? We're taking a walk!" Sokka didn't understand – or didn't want to understand.

"I'm engaged. It just feels..." She looked down and started walking away. The warrior's smile waned and suddenly brightened up again as he got an idea.

"I know what you need! You need to meet my good friend Appa!" He hopped down to stand by her side. The princess had no idea who he was talking about. A little later, they entered Appa's pen. As usual, he was eating. Sokka opened his arms wide. "Appa and I go way back. Don't we boy?" Appa ran and pinned him down with his forepaws and started licking him from bottom to top as if trying to peel his skin. "Ahh! Easy! Down boy! Ahh! No! Up!"

"Looks like you haven't been giving Appa enough attention." Yue laughed heartily as he struggled to break free from the bison's heavy embrace.

When they were finally on his saddle, the princess wondered how this worked. He asked if she was hangin' on tight. She nodded, and he slowly said the right words. Appa soared in the sky to the girl's greatest delight.

"Wow! I can't believe you do this every day!" She blushed slightly.

"Yeah, we pretty much live up here." He stretched coolly. Yue hugged herself and wondered if it was always this cold in the sky before snuggling up against Sokka. "Not when you're with someone." He replied.

"It's beautiful up here."

"Yeah." They looked at each other, their eyes filled with adoration, much more enthralled with each other than with the scenery. They slowly drew closer but right before they kissed, they broke off.

"Whoo! Yeah! Good times! Good times!" Sokka exclaimed awkwardly. Both were looking away. When around them, snowflakes suddenly began to fall. A black snow... The princess didn't know what was happening, unlike Sokka who whispered "Oh no." while looking ahead.

All the citizens paused to watch with wonder and apprehension the dark flakes falling from the sky. Aang laughed as he rolled around in a circle in the snow (as always fooling around instead of training hard like Katara), failing to notice the black precipitation. Momo stuck out his tongue, caught a strange flake and ate it. He spat it right back and coughed. The airbender finally noticed and looked up, same for Katara. Chenlian and Ryuho had also stopped their training and were watching the sky. The waterbender appeared a little anxious before he saw the girl frowning deeply and glaring toward the open sea.

"They have come."

"What?" But the firebender didn't answer and ran toward the city. He ran after her.

After landing, Sokka picked a handful of the dark material. It was soot mixed with snow. He had seen it before. Right before his village was attacked. It was the Fire Nation. They had closed in on the North Pole. And from the looks of the stuff, there were certainly a lot of them... They were staring at dense, immense dark gray clouds that were completely obscuring the horizon.

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh. Just think... centuries from now, people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization. You're lucky you're here to see it." Zhao gloated.

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral. History is not always kind to its subjects." The older man warned him.

"I suppose you speak from experience? But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure at Ba-Sing-Se." Zhao stingingly responded to the admonition.

"I hope not, for your sake."

"Tell the Captains to prepare for first strike." The admiral ordered. Iroh turned and walked away. In one of the many corridors, he met with Zuko, who was still in his guard disguise, and asked him in a whisper whether he had a plan as they would be landing soon. The nephew removed his mask and told him he was working on it. He replaced his mask and they split.

The gong of war echoed in the frozen citadel. The people hurried up the stairs to the fort. Sokka was pulling Yue along by the hand when she suddenly stopped. He asked what was wrong. They had to go! She broke free from his grip.

"No, Sokka, wait. I can't see you anymore. Not at all." She affirmed gravely and sadly. The boy turned around in surprise.

"What? We're just friends!" No matter the shape, he wanted and needed to be close to the one he liked.

"I wish we could just be friends, but I like you too much and it's too confusing to be around you. I'm marrying someone else." She turned so she couldn't see him, so her resolution wouldn't waver.

"You don't love him, do you? You don't even seem to like him."

"But I do love my people."

"You're not marrying them." He insisted, rejecting with all his might the very notion of marriage of state.

"You don't understand. I have duties to my father, to my tribe. I have to do this, goodbye!" She ran off, barely holding her tears back, leaving a stunned, distraught, and heart-broken Sokka who was just as ready to cry.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts." Chief Arnook addressed the people in front of him, his voice resounding through the great hall. Princess Yue and Master Pakku were sitting at his side. "Now, as we approach the battle for our existence," He raised his arms up in supplication. "I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!" He lowered his arms. "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

"Count me in." Sokka was first to stand up. His sister cried his name. Other men stood up in the crowd.

"Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task." And at the Chief's request, a line formed in front of him to receive the three red lines on the forehead. Sokka was the second in line. As he left, he turned and made eye contact with Yue, and their gaze reflected all their despair and sorrow. The boy walked away. The princess began to cry silently.

Aang was sitting on one of the pylons at the top of the citadel steps, watching the ocean horizon.

"The stillness before battle is unbearable." The tribe leader joined him from behind, along with Katara, Chenlian and Ryuho who had been chosen to defend the city. "Such a quiet dread."

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I'm gonna make a difference this time." He stood up with a fierce expression.

The top of the walls were lined with warriors prepared for the war. All looked calm and quiet on a beautiful sunny day. But all knew it was the calm before the storm. Aang atop Appa stood in the center. Katara and Sokka were to Appa's left and the firebender to the right. Grim determination was etched onto all of their faces. In the distance a single ship could be seen. It suddenly launched a fireball directly at the center of the city wall and blew a massive hole through the water tribe symbol. Many defenders were blown backwards into the city by the concussion, along with huge chunks of ice and debris. Another fell in a canal in an explosion of smoke, vapor, water and fire. A trebuchet launched another one from the ship's foredeck, blasting another hole through the city wall. Appa recoiled and roared. Aang gave him the command to fly off. Chenlian jumped on his back and the bison soared into the sky towards the enemy.

The defenders on the wall recovered and started to reorganize. Sokka was calling for his sister in the wreckage when a large pile of snow was waterbended away from a nearby mound and Katara appeared, scaring him. He helped her out just in time to see two more fireballs shoot over the city wall.

The Fire Navy ship fired a few more fireballs at the city before one shot straight towards Appa. The Avatar batted it away with his staff. The projectile went to crash harmlessly against the cliff. The humans decided to take it from here. Appa inverted himself allowing his riders to drop into a free fall. After a few seconds Aang opened his glider and jets of fire shot from Chenlian's feet and fists. They closed in on the ship, the monk while dodging several more fireballs and the girl by cutting or shattering them. Aang arrived on the foredeck and whiped up a gale that blew most of the crew. He hopped onto the arm of the loaded trebuchet and walked down it when a huge Fire Nation soldier blocked his way. He screamed and went up the arm. Two more soldiers who had climbed up after him and had him in a pincer swung their mighty hammers at him and missed, damaging the trebuchet. Finally, Aang leapt into the air and blasted the trebuchet into a dozen pieces. Suddenly, there was a large explosion that shook the entire ship. Chenlian was running wild in the back and laying waste the machinery room. The vessel ground to a stop.

The airbender smiled, ran to the other trebuchet and broke a rather important chain. He fired the trebuchet. The arm overextended and the weapon shot its fireball into the deck, straight through the forepeak and into the water below. Aang ran back up the deck to two more trebuchet, Fire Nation guards in tow. He tied the chains of the two war instruments together in a bow knot and then ran over to one of the machine's firing mechanisms and kicked it into operation. The activated trebuchet drew the other one to itself and they collapsed into a pile of junk after collision. The child grinned widely, proud of himself. He dashed to another trebuchet and was about to strike the firing mechanism with a hammer when he saw the warrior approach. The boy dropped the hammer in fear, narrowly avoiding two chained hammers that tried to hit him many times. He hid from the warrior and was quickly ensnared by two chains which wrapped him to the trebuchet's girder. All of a sudden, a blast of fire hurtled the soldier far away and another melted a large portion of the chains, freeing Aang who quickly got away before Chenlian cut through the remaining trebuchet with a blazing arch.

A huge ice pike pierced through the ship that was then lifted into the air by dozens of others. The two teens jumped over onto Appa as he passed by. The monk thought they were good to go when the girl contradicted him.

"What are you saying Aang? It's only the beginning. We still have a few hundreds more to go." She pointed at the massive fleet that spanned up to the horizon.

"You have got to be kidding me." Aang's expression turned to horror.

"Well, it looks like we won't have the luxury of holding back this time, right, Guang...?" She was smiling. It was a smile that sent shivers down his spine... the smile of a cornered beast that had prepared itself and decided to remove all limitations. Her eyes glowed like the sun and red markings appeared all over her body. She soared and huge jets of flames sprouted from her fists and feet. But the way she would maneuver in the sky, with wings of fire and a lashing tail of flames, the way she would swoop down and roar and her breath of fire, the way the enemies would cower before her and and flee for their lives... that sheer raw and overwhelming power that easily bisected ships or blew holes through them, those graceful movements, that great and majestic form that struck a most primal fear in mortal hearts... at last, she had truly become a dragon baring her fangs!

"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation navy. That means you'll all need one of these uniforms." Chief Arnook addressed a group of soldiers. A young and arrogant-looking dark haired man walked in, dressed in a Fire Navy uniform. However, while doubtlessly Fire Nation it was also doubtlessly NOT the current standard, at least for those like Sokka who have had recent run-ins with them. That was why the southern tribe member laughed before covering his mouth. The others turned to look at him.

"What's your problem?"

"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that." Sokka pointed at the arrogant man.

"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers."

"When, like a hundred years ago?"

"Eighty five." The chief admitted.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore. The newer uniforms are more streamlined." Sokka walked forwards and bent the tip of one of the shoulder spikes back with the tip of his finger. It bounced back to its original shape as soon as he let go.

"How do we know we can trust this guy?" The young man in Fire Nation uniform asked the tribe leader. He then turned to Sokka, leaning towards him with a threatening expression. "Such bold talk for a new recruit."

"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn, he is a capable warrior and I value his input." Arnook calmly reprimanded him as the southern tribesman looked smugly at Hahn, who did not appear too pleased. "Now, our first objective is to determine the identity of their commanding officer."

"His name is Zhao. Middle-aged. Big sideburns. Bigger temper. Actually, Chenlian and I made a detailed report of the Fire Nation forces and their commander during our stay here and she asked me to give it to you." He handed the chief a scroll containing descriptions of key officers, blueprints of the ships, estimates of the battles...

"Sokka, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn. He is leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law." The chief left as Hahn 'fashinably' pushed his hair back over his ears and Sokka's jaw dropped in shock at the last pronouncement. He recovered and pointed an accusing finger at Hahn.

"Princess Yue's marrying YOU?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Nothing, congratulations." The boy turned away. It certainly didn't look as if it was nothing to him.

The battle continued until late afternoon. The sun was setting and the advance party of the Fire Navy fleet was now firing volleys of fireballs from only half a mile away. Some landed inside the city and some hit the outer wall. Master Pakku ordered his waterbenders to stop the blazing projectiles. They collectively raised up barriers of water they froze to catch and extinguish the fireballs. It was then Iroh, as Zhao's military consultant, advised his admiral to halt the attack. It was almost twilight, and waterbenders drew their power from the moon which was nearly full this night. They should wait and resume the attack at daybreak.

"Oh, I'm well aware of the moon problem and I am working on a solution. But for now, daybreak it is." The admiral reluctantly agreed. The ships dropped their anchors for the night.

Katara and Yue were standing in front of the citadel looking out over the city and its walls to the line of threatening Fire Navy ships. Plumes of smoke were rising over several sections of the city that have been bombed. The princess noted they had stopped firing and Katara noted Appa's approached. Aang and Chenlian were coming back. Appa landed on the plaza at the base of the Citadel steps. The Water Tribe girls ran down to them. As soon as the bison landed it lied down on his belly, its feet too tired to keep him up. Aang looked small and dejected on the driver's seat. He slid off and came to rest next to Appa's left forepaw.

"I can't do it. I can't do it." He repeated, holding his head in his hands, very distressed. Katara asked him what happened. "I must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships and Chenlian at least six times that, but there's just too many of them. We can't fight them all."

"But, you have to! You're the Avatar!" The princess pleaded.

"I'm just one kid." Aang said humbly and buried his head in his knees in despair. Katara asked about Chenlian and he told her she was in the saddle. The firebender was smiling, but she was also panting, shaking and sweating. Katara had seen her fight too. Of course, that power was not originally hers so it was only natural that if overused her body, as the recipient, would suffer damage. The waterbender had remarked that while her female friend usually treated her body well, she had a tendancy to strain herself a bit too much in some cases. But here she had really overdone it!

"Ah, Katara. Sorry, I don't think I can walk on my own. Actually, I can barely move. Could you give me a hand for now?" The mahogany-haired girl smiled weakly and apologetically. Katara sighed and helped her out of the saddle. They slid down and sat down beside Aang with Katara in the middle. She comforted Aang and scolded Chenlian for overexerting herself to this extent (while she healed her at the same time).

Night had almost completely fallen. Below the nearly full moon, Zuko, now entirely dressed in plain grey and white clothes, was preparing a canoe to be lowered into the water. Behind him a door opened to reveal Iroh who entered and shut the door behind him.

"If you're fishing for an octopus, my nephew, you need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape." The old man advised.

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle."

"I'm sorry, I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son..." He trailed off, looking away. Evidently, it was too painful for him to continue.

"Uncle, you don't have to say it." Zuko said kindly and sympathetically. He didn't want that parent he loved so much to suffer like that but Iroh nonetheless forced himself because he loved that child just as much.

"...I think of you as my own." And as they turned to each other, the teen's expression was one of deep genuine concern and understanding.

"I know, Uncle." He bowed and saluted him with his arm over chest. "We'll meet again..." Iroh rushed forward and gave him a bear hug. The young man pulled away and walked over to the canoe. "...after I have the Avatar... and Chenlian." Zuko got into the canoe and began to lower it.

"Remember your Breathe of Fire! It could save your life out there!"

"I will."

"And put your hood up, keep your ears warm!"

"I'll be fine." The teen replied from far below. Iroh gazed on worriedly as his nephew departed.

Sokka and Hahn were sharpening axe blades on rotating wheels while discussing about women. Well, Hahn was talking, while Sokka was listening with a very cross face.

"Let me tell ya, Soka, I've courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest and she comes with the most perks..."

"Perks!? What does that mean?" Sokka's eyes bulged in anger.

"I mean, Yue's nice and everything, but the points I'll get with the Chief aren't bad either."

"Princess Yue is wasted on a self absorbed weasel like you!"

"Whoa. Hang on. What do you care? You're just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe. What would you know of the political complexities of our life? No offense." Hahn commented with an unbearably smug look on his face. And in response, Sokka yelled and tackled him to the ground and kept punching him.

"You're just a jerk without a soul! No offense!" They rolled around a bit more before the Chief broke them up... and withdrew Sokka from the mission. Arnook left and the Southern Tribe boy looked away, humiliated.

"All right, fall in men! Everybody listen to what I say and we'll take out this Admiral Jo in no time." Hahn commanded.

"It's Admiral Zhao!" Sokka shouted to the departing soldiers.

Zuko led his canoe through the ice flows near the City and up to the wall. He beached the craft on the ice and looking for a way inside the fortress, he spied several noisy turtle seals disappearing into a hole in the ice. Where were they going? They had to be coming up for air somewhere... He took a deep breath and plunged into the hole of icy water.

"The legends say the moon was the first waterbender." Yue said. She, Katara and Aang (and Momo) were standing in a hallway, watching the moon, although the boy had his head down. Chenlian was with them, sitting and resting on the parapet and leaning against a column. She still had not fully recovered, well of course, given how recklessly she had fought. "Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves." The princess told them. Katara had always noticed that her bending was stronger at night. "Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance."

"The Spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!" Aang suddenly opened his eyes wide and grinned. The princess asked how he could do that. Katara explained that the Avatar was the bridge between their world and the Spirit World and that allowed him to talk to them.

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" Yue smiled hopefully.

"Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" The little monk spread his arms, suddenly very excited. The girls stared at him fixedly. "Or wisdom. That's good too." He put his arms behind his head and smiled sheepishly.

"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?" Katara voiced her anxiety. However, Yue and Chenlian had an idea.

They walked to the far back of the citadel, through a courtyard and stopped in front of a wooden half height door. The boy asked whether this was the way to the Spirit World. The princess laughed. He would have to get there on his own... but she could take him to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole. She opened the door and they walked in.

Inside there was a long pool of water. At the back of the chamber was a waterfall coming from the glacier way above. On the sides of the pool were two ledges by which one could access the landing at the back of the chamber. The landing was full of greenery, another smaller pool that looked almost tropical in nature, and a small gate shaped like a Japanese torii. The landing was connected to the ledges by two wooden foot bridges. Everyone was filled with wonder at the nature beauty before them. Aang ran over the left bridge, laughing. He landed on the soft grass in front of the little pond and rubbed it fondly. He had never thought he'd miss grass this much! He flopped over on his back as the three girls walked onto the landing themselves. Katara took off her coat. She couldn't believe it could be so warm here. How was that possible? Yue explained it was the center of all spiritual energy in their land. Inside the pond, two koi fish were circling each other in a timeless ballet. One was white with a black spot, the other black with a white spot. Momo skittered up to the pond and began to try and grab the fish. But he ran away when he noticed the severe look of the girls.

"You're right, Yue. I can feel something it's so tranquil." The monk sat cross legged in front of the pond, closed his eyes, and attempted to meditate.

Prince Zuko broke through a water hole in a dark cave filled with noisy turtle seals. He flopped onto the ice floor, out of breath. He flipped over, shivered, and blew fire into his hands to warm himself up. After he had recovered a little, he stood up and ordered the animals to be quiet. They obeyed but started once he had passed them. The firebender approached a waterfall at the back of the cave. He entered the tunnel where the water was coming up and made headway up the channel.

Sokka was crouching down and sharpening his boomerang in the same armory he had had his fight with Hahn. Arnook came up behind him and asked if something was wrong.

"Oh no! Hahn's out there on the top secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Everything's fine!"

"Listen to me. I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you."

"What? You want me to scrub the barracks?" The boy turned to the chief in anger.

"I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue."

"Er, sure. That shouldn't be too hard." The young man stood up with a dreamy expression, mingling innocence with desire. The chief left.

Zuko struggled up the tunnel, against the water. He slipped once, but kept moving onwards. Finally he exited the tunnel into the bottom of a large pool of water. He swam up and broke the surface, gasping for air. The top of the chamber was inches above his head. After regaining his breathe, he scanned underneath the water for exits. He saw one, dived and entered another tunnel. Going around one bend and then up he saw what looked like an exit into open air, but once he reached it, it proved to be just thinner, lighter colored ice. Running out of breath, he concentrated and superheated his hands and placed them on the thin ice, burning through it and melting it. He emerged into a tunnel within the Water Tribe City and lied down for a moment to regain his strength and breath.

Aang was still in his meditation pose beside the pool, desperately trying to cross over despite Katara and Yue behind him who kept whispering.

"Why is he sitting like that?" The princess was asking.

"He's meditating trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration." The waterbender explained. The Avatar cracked an eye at this continued interruption, clearly aggravated.

"Is there any way we can help?"

"How bout some quiet!? C'mon guys! I can hear every word you're saying!" After his outburst he resumed his pose. His eyes fell on the black and white fish circling each other in front of him. And the more he stared, the more they seemed to blur until all he could see was the Yin Yang symbol. His eyes and arrow flashed white and glowed. Yue wanted to know if he was okay. The benders reassured her. He had successfully crossed. He'd be fine as long as they didn't move his body. That was his way back to the physical world. Then she asked why Chenlian hadn't gone with him.

"It's fine. He has other guides over there. We must focus on protecting his body."

"Then maybe we should get some help?" The princess suggested.

"No, he's our friend. We're perfectly capable of protecting him." Katara disagreed.

"That's right." Chenlian concurred. "We shouldn't lessen the defenses. The two of us will be enough. Besides, I have a feeling we've already got an uninvited guest, though can't say he was unexpected..." She smirked.

"Do you mean me?" Zuko answered. "Then don't worry, I'll leave as soon as you hand the Avatar over to me."

"No!" Katara cried.

"Yes! Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you." He walked over the bridge.

Katara assumed a waterbending stance, while Yue ran off to call for reinforcements. Chenlian stood protectively before Aang, ready to fight, as the little monk, oblivious, was still in the Spirit World. She was still far from her top condition but she'd made do. Besides, Katara had grown much stronger and it was night. It was alright to leave it to her while she would take care of any miss she could make. And if that man lasted until morning... then they would switch over.

Zuko launched forward, firing several blasts of fire. Katara blocked all three with water from the pond. He fired several more as he advanced, but on the last one she used enough water to not only douse his fire, but hurl him backward and lay him flat on the ground.

"I see you've learned a new trick. But I didn't come this far to lose to you." Zuko got up. He fired another blast which she blocked. Katara then launched another stream of water at him, hurling him backwards again. He barely retained his balance, but the waterbender froze his feet are frozen in the ice beneath him. Then, with a massive output of effort, she lifted a wave of water from the main pool behind Zuko that encased him and streamed it over and over into a very dense sphere she froze entirely with him inside. Satisfaction was written all over Katara's face.

"You little peasant. You've found a master, haven't you?" The prince deduced, as angry as could be. And fuelled by his anger, the temperature around him rose enough for the shell of ice to shatter. He charged at Katara but all their attacks missed. He managed to get behind the waterbender only to be repelled by Chenlian. And Katara blasted him out of the way with a jet of water over to the right ledge. While he tried to recover, she raised a huge wave of water that raised him to ten or more feet up the wall where she froze him in place once again.

The sun rose over the horizon. The waterbenders looked out from the citadel over the city wall to the Fire Navy fleet, preparing themselves for another day of fighting even fiercer than before.

"It's daybreak at last. Let's write history." Zhao smirked.

The light of the sun also fell on the two firebenders at the spiritual heart of the Water tribe. Zuko's head that had dropped in defeat suddenly snapped up with a look of determination. He breathed steam, melting the ice holding him in place. At the same time, Chenlian felt compelled to look back at him, only to see him slide down and charge at Katara again. She cried her name. He fired a huge blast of fire. Katara was unable to block it entirely and was thrown back into the post of the gate, knocked out.

"She rises with the moon. We rise with the sun. Now it's only the two of us, Chenlian."

"You really won't back down, will you?" The girl sighed, assuming a battle stance.

"You're the one who should back down!"

"I can't do that. I made a promise, to them and to myself... that I'll protect them, I'll protect Aang no matter what."

At this Zuko snapped and sent her an even stronger blast. She took control of it though, twirled and sent it back with more power. He cut the stream with his joint hands and charged at her. She caught his fist in her hand, quenching the flames.

"Then why?!" He raged. And their eyes locked onto each other, she could see, she could feel, she could hear... all his fury, all his turmoil... He tried to kick her but she spun, dodging it, and retaliated with one of her own that sent him flying. He skidded and charged again. Their arches of flames met. He jumped over the conflagration and aimed for a drop kick that was dodged. Their forearms clashed like swords pushing at each other.

"Didn't you say you would always protect me?!" All his sorrow, all his anguish... And feeling herself buckle ever so slightly as she remembered despite having never forgotten her promise to him, she caught his arm, turned around him and pushed him away and made him trip. Both were letting their emotions submerge them. All the emotions they had desperately tried to bury, hide, control, destroy... She fired a blast at him. He spun his legs, dissipating it and stood back up and attacked again. She stopped his fire daggers. "Why aren't you fighting by my side?! Why aren't you with me... like you promised me!" The boy thundered, releasing all his pent-up anger, bitterness, frustration and all his other feelings. Chenlian's grip weakened, her eyes widened, her heart stopped... she completely froze for a second... all his tears... his desperation... all his passion... all his lo... suddenly, she was hit full force at point blank range. She crashed and collapsed against the other gate pillar.

When the smoke cleared, Zuko looked over at the mahogany-haired girl, his hand on Aang's collar, the sun shining bright behind him.

"Chenlian, this time, YOU will come after me..."

The bowsprits of the Fire Navy ships dropped and opened holes into the Water City's main wall and were then used as a bridge by Fire Nation troops entering the city.

"The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable, but their city will fall today." Zhao declared.

Katara woke up to Chenlian shaking her. Both Aang and Zuko were gone. Momo chattered.

"Chen-" The waterbender began but she was interrupted.

"I know!" She yelled, feeling guilty enough as it was, although her friend had no plan at all to blame her since she was just as guilty. Appa landed, Sokka and Yue in the saddle. They hopped down.

"What happened? Where's Zuko?"

"He took Aang. He took him right out from under us."

"Where did they go?"

"Right into the blizzard above. I don't think that man had any plan beyond Aang's capture. You go with Appa, I will stay there and use a different approach." Chenlian sat down in Aang's place and started meditating.

Away from the sanctuary, on the surface of the massive glacier, it was snowing hard. Zuko was struggling through the blizzard, carrying Aang, whose markings were still glowing white.


	24. The Moon and the Ocean

**Fight** **24: The Moon and the Ocean**

Four massive fireballs fell into the city, followed by many others. It was daylight and the battle for the survival of the Northern Water Tribe had begun in earnest. And beyond the citadel, at the spirit oasis, Katara was still kneeling at the pool and berating herself.

"I can't believe I lost him."

"You two did everything you could and now we need to do everything we can to get him back. Chenlian's already doing it so we should get going too." Sokka was referring to the red markings that had appeared on the firebender. He led Yue over to Appa. His sister turned to look at him, tears brimming in her eyes. "Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him. Aang's gonna be fine."

"Okay." Katara got up and climbed onto the bison. And as Momo chittered softly and sadly, she reassured him and told him to stay here in case Aang came back. And Appa soared into the air and the dark gray sky and started flying through the blizzard.

And at the front of a long trail, Zuko kept trudging in the deep snow, Aang's feet dragging behind him. The airbender's tattoos were still glowing...

The monk's eyes opened. He was sitting cross legged on a platform in the middle of a bamboo swamp in a meditative pose. He got up and looked around. Behind him was a small island with a temple like structure on top, made of stone with branches coiling arount it. Underneath the cross bar of the structure a figure was sitting cross-legged and meditating. Aang heard the chanting and ran up the island to the see a white haired monkey wearing a brown monk's shawl.

"Hello? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I just really need to find the Moon and the Ocean spirits." The Avatar requested urgently but politely. The ape just told him to go away without even opening his eyes. Then as there was still no change, he opened an eye to notice that the human was still here. "Yes! I need-" But before the boy could finish, the mystical monkey tightly shut his eyes and started chanting again in an obvious attempt to discourage the unwelcome visitor. A will-o'-the-wisp suddenly flew by them. The simian suggested that perhaps this thing would help him and told Aang to chase after it, which he did. A few seconds later, the animal opened one eye again to confirm Aang's departure and shook his head, sighing, glad that the nuisance was gone at last.

The Avatar chased the will-o'-the-wisp through the swamp, up onto a large branch where he caught it, a huge smile on his face. But as he did, the branch rot and liquefied underneath him and he fell, screaming, in the water below. The will-o'-the-wisp escaped his grasp and he could only cry at it to come back. He tried to follow it before stopping suddenly and looking at the water. The ripples dissipated but instead of his own reflection, he saw Avatar Roku... who simply greeted him! And the child was more than happy to see him!

Zuko was still carrying Aang through the snow and the storm when suddenly, the ice underneath him began to crack and cave in. Within a few seconds most of the ground behind him was collapsing. He ran with Aang on his back, barely managing to keep ahead. The hole finally stopped expanding as the prince tripped and fell and rolled away. He looked back at the newly formed canyon and ahead at a rock ledge overhanging a small cave. He had found a shelter. He dragged the Avatar inside by the collar and dumped him at the back of the cave and tied his hands behind his back with rope, unaware that he had been seen by a golden dragon and its rider.

"Roku, the Water Tribe is under attack. I need to find the Ocean and Moon spirits!" Aang exclaimed. The water of the reflection shot upward and solidified into Avatar Roku's spirit. He informed him that the Ocean and the Moon were ancient spirits that had crossed over from the Spirit World to the Mortal World very near the beginning. And he knew of only one spirit old enough to remember. The spirit's name was Koh. But he was very dangerous. They called him the Face Stealer. At this, the boy was very shocked and frightened. His previous incarnation warned him to be very careful to show no emotion at all, not even the slightest expression when speaking with him or he would steal his face! Aang bit the fear back from his face and nodded stoically.

Wandering through the raging blizzard, Appa rumbled and landed. Sokka jumped down and looked out over the recently created canyon. He turned around to look at his sister, whose blue eyes were wide with concern and fear. She lowered her face, fearing the worst.

"I finally have you. But I can't get you home because of this blizzard." Zuko blew fire into his hands to keep warm and looked over at Aang before walking over to the cave entrance to look out at the pouring snow. "There's always something. Not that you would understand. You're like my sister and Chenlian. Everything always came easy to them. They're firebending prodigies and everyone adores them. Or at least everyone adored Chenlian. She had always enjoyed her family's unconditional love and support. My father says my sister was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it. I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

Fireballs kept raining down on the frozen city. The invaders had penetrated the outer wall. Infantry soldiers, armored vehicles and war komodo rhinos equipped with small catapults that also launched fireballs were pouring in. The defenders were desperately holding out, trying to stall the enemy's advance until sunset despite their overwhelming power. On a wall in the middle of the city, waterbenders stopped the water from the portholes below them and released them all in the same time as powerful jets. Two tanks were washed away, but several others behind them fired massive grappling hooks into the secondary wall. The waterbenders scattered as the tanks with the grappling hooks began to reel back on the lines. The tanks are anchored in the ice to prevent the tank from just hauling itself to the wall and soon a huge breach was opened and enemies swarmed inside.

"I don't need to remind you we have a time limit." Iroh alerted Zhao on the observation deck of the Admiral's flagship. "If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises they will be undefeatable."

"I assure you I have everything under control. I intend to remove the moon as a factor." Zhao smiled evilly.

"Remove the moon!? How?" The military advisor couldn't believe it.

"Admiral Choi!" Hahn yelled from behind, took off his helmet and threw it aside. "Prepare to meet your fate!" He lunged at the admiral who casually threw him overboard. Hahn screamed as he fell and a loud splash was heard. Iroh looked down and shook his head.

"As I was saying, years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret: the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form." The leader of the invasion continued, ignoring the rude interruption. His eyes were closed and a cruel smile was playing on his lips. Iroh was even more incredulous. "I was a young Lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words moon and ocean. I knew then that these spirits could be found... and killed... And that it was my destiny to do so."

"Zhao, the Spirits are not to be trifled with!" The elder man lectured him angrily.

"Yes, yes, I know you fear the Spirits, Iroh." The ambitious admiral went on patronizingly. "I've heard rumors about your journey into the Spirit World. But the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of our world..." He stared at the city of ice up ahead, still under heavy attack. "...And now they will face the consequences!"

Aang was hopping across the top of a line of wooden pylons on his way to a huge gnarled tree. He stopped as a monstrous coyote or other dog like creature, the size of a large hill passed behind the tree. Once he arrived at the base of the tree, he saw the entrance to a cave. He approached the hole fearfully when a screech startled him. It was then that he saw a monkey sitting on the root of the tree, looking away. The boy sighed with relief. It was just a curly tailed blue nose. But when the monkey turned around, he gasped in fright. It had no face! He remembered Roku's stern warning, dropped all emotion from his face and breathed deeply.

"Show no fear. Show no emotion at all." Aang's voice overlapped with Roku's. And he walked resolutely into the hole. He descended the staircase into Koh's lair. A small and pale light was pouring in through an opening above. Roots were sticking out from the ceiling. "Hello? I'm looking for a spirit named Koh." He called a little anxiously. Some roots began to move. The monk looked around, sensing movement, but saw nothing. When he was able to pinpoint the location to behind him, he became completely emotionless. And the spirit's huge centipede-like body arched to face him. It was a white face with grey patches around its eyes and luscious, blood red lips. Koh welcomed him with a low, melodic, almost purring voice but that oozed of danger. Aang bowed slightly with his hands clasped in front of him in a gesture of honor and thanked him.

"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time."

"You know me?"

"How could I forget..." At this moment Koh's face changed to a middle-aged man with long mustaches as if some sort of nictating eyelid or membrane closed briefly over the old face to reveal a new one. "...you! One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me! It was eight or nine hundred years ago!" The spirit menacingly brought his face right to Aang's.

"I didn't know that. Why did he or I try to kill you?"

"Oh..." Koh's face changed to that of a beautiful young woman with long flowing hair. "It was something about stealing the face of someone you loved..." He said like he didn't care at all and the face changed to the curly tailed blue nose face. The spirit laughed cruelly. "Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now." He stuck his fanged, monkey face up to Aang's ear from behind. "You've come to me with a new face." It sounded as if he would want nothing more than to add that new face to his collection. Aang closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

And in the human world his physical body did exactly the same. Zuko looked over at him, then looked out of the cave. The blizzard was still raging and showed no sign of abatement.

"Guess we'll be here awhile."

The Water Tribe teens were flying on Appa, scanning the ground for signs of Zuko and Aang. Katara was especially anxious. The princess tried to reassure her as Zuko couldn't have gotten too far in this weather. But the waterbender was more worried that could NOT get away in this blizzard. Her brother was more optimistic (or maybe realistic) If they knew one thing about Zuko it was that he never gave up. And he needed Aang alive. Those two would definitely survive, and they would find them. It was then they saw a red light moving at high speed a little lower than them far on their right.

"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection." The face stealer wrapped loosely around the Avatar, now showing the face of an owl. "So... how may I help you?" He kept closely circling Aang, like a shark circling a prey. The boy needed to find the Moon and the Ocean. "Their spirit names are Tui and La. 'Push' and 'Pull' and that has been the nature of their relationship for all time."

"Please, help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help." The child begged. Koh's face flipped to that of an old man.

"Oh, you think you need their help? Actually, it's quite the other way around." He raised an eyebrow before switching face to that of that a scary blue ogre with red eyes and big fangs and suddenly pressing it within inches of Aang's in hope to surprise him. "Someone's going to kill them!" He yelled. However, the plan failed and the Avatar merely closed his eyes and opened them again and asked what he meant, and how he could find them and protect them. "You've already met them, actually. Tui and La, your Moon and Ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other... push and pull... life and death... good and evil... yin and yang..."

Aang's eyes opened wide, as he remembered the white and black fish circling each other in the pond and how they had seemed to turn into the yin and yang symbol. "The koi fish!" He smiled, proud of his discovery. Hearing the emotion in Aang's voice, the face stealer appeared instantly with his blue ogre face right in front of him, ready to take his face. But too bad for him, the child's face was once again a model of impassivity. The Avatar politely excused himself as he had to go.

"We'll meet again." Koh murmured and receded back into the shadows. When Aang emerged frem his lair he looked down at his reflection on the ground and Roku appeared. When the airbender told him the spirits were in trouble and he needed to get back to the physical world, he informed him a friend was here to guide him back. Roku faded away and the sweet panda form of HeiBai was right behind him. Aang was more than glad to see him. He jumped on his neck and they headed towards the place where the child had appeared.

Night had fallen, but the Fire Nation assault was still very fierce. People were screaming and running away. Fire balls now blasted the residential section in front of the citadel, which was protected by the third and final wall. The secondary wall had been fully wrecked and Fire Nation troops and tanks were pouring through. But now that the full moon had started to rise the defenders managed to launch a counterattack, as uncoordinated as it was. Fire soldiers were sent flying or frozen into ice and tanks were sunken or sliced through. Master Pakku was squaring off alone against three tanks which were closely supported by three infantry platoons. And he was positively unstoppable. Ryuho was also confronted by a number of invaders... and defeated every last one of them, tanks and komodo rhinos included. A tank was sent flying and crashed right in front of Zhao was was riding a komodo rhino. He had a guard on either side of him riding similar mounts. A soldier melted the snow he had been splashed with when the tank had crashed. The admiral was holding a scroll in his hand...

"We'll be following this map to a very special location. And when we get there..." A cruel smile spread over Zhao's face that was silhouetted by the moon. "...we're going fishing."

Hei-Bai and Aang reached the paifang from where Aang had entered. The boy jumped down onto the platform. He recognized the place but didn't know how to get back. In response, Hei-Bai reared up on his hind legs and breathed a pulse of blue, spiritual energy out of his mouth at the child who froze, engulfed by the energy and disappeared. The mystical monkey, who was still meditating nearby, cracked an eye open and bade him good riddance. And Hei-Bai appeared beside the grouchy monkey in his monstruous form and in retaliation for having badly treated his friend, blew him away with a blast of spiritual energy. Hei-Bai changed back into his panda form and walked away.

Aang reappeared in the Water City Sanctuary. He noticed Momo sleeping on the ground and tried to touch him when he realized he was still in his spirit form. Where was his body?! He looked around frantically. He stopped as a blue ball of energy surrounded him and he was lifted or beamed out of the sanctuary valley and out into the wasteland above like a comet. He was seen by Katara as he flew over them. And he was heading in the same direction as Chenlian!

The female firebender crashed through the entrance of the cave and landed in a battle stance.

"So you've come after all." Zuko also took a firenbending stance.

"Yes. I've come after you like you wanted. I've come to free Aang!" She moved. The prince immediately launched two fireballs at her. She stopped them with an arch of fire she sent with her foot. In the same time, she cut through the bonds with her fire dagger. A few seconds later, there was a blinding light and Aang woke up. "Welcome back." She greeted.

"Yeah... good to be back." The monk greeted back and instantly grasped the situation. When he moved to escape, Zuko fired and was parried again by the female firebender. The Avatar flew out of the cave. Fireballs collided together.

"How long will you keep siding with the Avatar!?"

"As long as there will be people to try and capture him. As long as he needs and wants me to. Aang is more important than any of us." Chenlian declared. As expected, Zuko snapped, besides himself with rage, and shot a powerful blast at her. She caught it and sent it back with its power doubled, knocking the prince against the back of the cave. She stared at his fallen form for a few second. There were fresh scars on his face and his movements had showed signs of recent injuries. He too was fighting, struggling everyday. She had met people. She had close companions, and new allies. In his own way, Zuko was also fighting against himself, and against the world. Iroh would not leave him. But were things really alright just like this? The girl instinctively reached out to him before stopping, curling her hands into fists, and suffering etched deeply onto her features, she walked out.

Appa landed. Katara jumped down. The airbender was running to her when suddenly a fireball almost struck him from behind, doused just in time by Katara. They all turned to see the Prince who had come out and had his fist aimed at them.

"Enough, Zuko!" Chenlian yelled out.

"Here for a rematch?" The male firebender challenged. He couldn't give up. Not now.

"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match." The waterbender replied. She blocked a fireball just as she finished her sentence and sent a shock wave of ice hurtling towards him. When it reached the prince, she encased him in a pillar of ice that she raised up high, then dropped. Zuko fell to the ground unconscious.

"We need to get to the oasis! The spirits are in trouble!" Aang told them urgently. They all climbed onto Appa. All but Chenlian. The amber-eyed girl went over to Zuko and stared at him for a time.

"Sorry, but I can't leave him here." She grabbed his arm and raised him.

"Sure you can! Let's go." Sokka retorted.

"No, she's right. If we leave him, he'll die." The Avatar agreed and went to help the female firebender bring the fallen man onto Appa. Chenlian kept quiet. She could never leave that man to die... really... she could not leave him alone after all...

"Yeah, this makes a lot of sense. Let's bring the guy who's constantly trying to kill us!" Sokka agreed sarcastically and reluctantly.

"But as long as I am with him, watching over him, I will be able to stop him." Chenlian replied. The bison took off.

A pair of hands reached into the spiritual pond. The right one caught the struggling white fish and forced it into a bag held by the left hand. Zhao stood up holding the bag. And behind him, the moon turned a ghastly blood red.

The blood red light washed over the whole city. And as it did, the counterattack against the invaders faltered. No, it came to a complete halt. The waterbenders could no longer use their art. They could only flee before the Fire Nation's advance.

On Appa, Yue was holding her head and feeling faint. It was the same for Aang and Chenlian. The Moon Spirit was in trouble. The princess told them she owed the Moon Spirit her life. When she was born she was very sick and very weak. Most babies cried when they were born but she was born as if she were asleep, her eyes closed. Their healers did everything they could. They told her mother and father she was going to die. Her father pleaded with the spirits to save her. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought her to the oasis and placed her in the pond. Her dark hair turned white, she opened her eyes and began to cry and they knew she would live. That was why her mother named her Yue, for the moon.

"I am a legend now!" Basked in the bloody light, Zhao raised his fist to the heavens. "The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! ZHAO THE INVINCIBLE!" The megalomaniac admiral declaimed. At this moment Momo jumped onto his head and started pulling at his face. "Huh! Get it off!" The man struggled. The lemur flew off as the guards surrounded their officer to help him. He landed on Aang's outstretched arm. Appa had landed and the teens were more than ready to square off against Zhao and his men. The guards also took their stances. But against all expectations, the admiral stopped them and told them not to bother. He turned his fist towards the bag containing the Moon Spirit. Aang dropped his staff and raised his hands in surrender.

"Zhao! Don't!" The boy pleaded.

"It's my destiny to destroy the Moon and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt everyone including you. Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." The Avatar tried to reason.

"He is right, Zhao!" Iroh concurred. He had stealthily followed his superior.

"General Iroh, why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?" The admiral wondered in a bored lecturing tone. The general lowered his hood.

"I'm no traitor, Zhao, the Fire Nation needs the moon too. We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit I'll unleash on you ten-fold! LET IT GO, NOW!" Iroh thundered, pointing an accusatory finger before assuming a firebending stance. Chenlian was just as ready. She was staying silent but the sheer intensity of her aura and fighting spirit were threatening and deterring enough as they were. The two men locked eyes for a moment. Then Zhao faltered, lowering the bag. He knelt and released the fish back into the water. The world returned to normal. But just as it did, Zhao's face was quickly overtaken and distorted by madness and desperation and with a cry of rage he bolted upright and struck the water with a blast of fire. The blast passed Iroh, who recoiled in horror, not so much of the flames but of Zhao's unspeakable act. And the moon vanished out of existence.

Iroh and Chenlian instantly sprang forth and attacked. They fired blast after blast. Zhao blocked two and backed away to let his escorts take care of them. He stared in horror though as his six guards were wiped out in a matter of seconds by the aging man and the little girl with such ease and precision. He had forgotten it, but despite everything, Iroh had once been Crown Prince and an esteemed General hailed all over the nation and known as the Dragon of the West while Chenlian had been successfully taught by the best men in their arts, and she was known as a prodigy whose skills were more than enough to rival the Princess'. The Admiral fled. The guards struggled to get up and do the same. They turned to the pond where the black fish was swimming frantically around the white one that was floating, a large gash on its side. With great sadness, Iroh gently lifted Tui's body from the water. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Yue hurried to them. Not a single person noticed that Zuko had also taken advantage of the darkness to disappear...

"There's no hope now. It's over." Yue said, on the verge of tears, her voice quivering, Sokka's hands on her shoulders. Aang's sorrowful expression turned to determination as his eyes and tattoos glowed white. A similar change occurred in the female firebender. Their Spirits spoke through their mouths.

"No, it's not over." They affirmed in the same time, their voices deep and other-worldly. By striking at the Moon, he had forgotten his place, doomed the whole human world, and incurred the wrath of all Spirits that in their benevolence had chosen to dedicate their whole selves to humans. Zhao's heinous crime shall not go unpunished. She would definitely stop him and bring him to his knees to receive justice...

Aang walked into the pond. Katara moved to follow, but she was stopped Iroh. The Avatar was standing in the middle of the pond, arms in prayer. He looked down at the black fish, whose eyes and white mark on his spine glowed white. The monk's markings glowed bright white. He dropped into the pond as if a hole had suddenly appeared below him and he vanished. Chenlian's eyes had also started glowing and markings were appearing over her body. She soared into the pitch black sky.

The water around the oasis glowed a deep blue veined with white. The glow spread from and soon encompassed the entire citadel area of the city. A huge, incandescent blue wave rushed under the footbridge as if some huge creature were moving underneath it. In the sanctuary, Appa, and even the citadel itself were dwarfed by the creature that rose from the pool. It had the appearance of a huge blue fish, veined with white that was standing. And at its center, in a white bubble, was Aang. The boy spread his arms and so did the Ocean Spirit. It moved down into the city. Master Pakku and all the Water Tribe people instantly bowed to the floor. Across the canal, some Fire Nation soldiers raised their spears in defiance, but were swept away by a wall of liquid. As the Avatar flailed his arms, more invaders were swept away. Fire Nation tanks fired blasts of fire at the Ocean Spirit that were absorbed with no effect and all soldiers and tanks were washed away like toys. Every Water Tribe citizen was bowing deeply. The routed Fire Nation army fled desperately to escape the vengeful living Spirit. La reached the main canal in front of the third wall and melted into it. Chenlian was combing the city from the air, lighting the streets, nooks and cranies with jets of fire, herding back some Fire soldiers.

Zhao was running over a foot bridge somewhere in the city. Until now, he had managed to skilfully avoid detection. He exited onto a parapet and was almost hit by a blast of fire that hit the wall in front of him. The smoke cleared. He looked up but against all expectations, it was Zuko who standing on the wall on the tier up above him.

"You're alive?" The admiral muttered, incredulous.

"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko yelled in anger and launched a few fire blasts but Zhao dodged, rolling along the parapet wall.

"Yes, I did. You're the Blue Spirit and enemy of the Fire Nation! You allied yourself with the traitor Chenlian! You freed the Avatar!" The officer spat with all the venom and spite he could muster.

"I had no choice!" The exiled prince shot back, firing volley after volley at Zhao, who broke them with his hands held together in a wedge in front of him. The blasts subsided, and the admiral dropped his smoking cloak to the ground.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace! Then, at least... you could have lived!" Zhao returned fire. They traded volleys. The fight raged back and forth in the darkness. At one point Zuko managed to swat his enemy's arm upward and hit his unguarded chest and left side. The blast projected him down onto the tier below. The teen jumped after him. However, this exchange had caught the attention of a troublesome person who was rushing towards them...

With great care and concern, Iroh placed the dead Moon Spirit back into the pond, obviously hoping against hope to see it move again... but it was too late. It was dead. Yue, Iroh and Katara were mourning the passing of the Moon Spirit when suddenly the old firebender looked up at the princess in wonder.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit. Some of its life is in you!" He exclaimed, surprised. Yue snapped her head. She had immediately realized the meaning of his words... as well as the meaning of her life.

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back." She stood up and with sad determination, walked to the pond's edge. Sokka bolted upright and grabbed her hand to stop her.

"No! You don't have to do that!"

"It's my duty, Sokka." The princess looked down.

"I won't let you! Your father told me to protect you!" The young man squeezed her hand tighter.

"I have to do this." Yue raised her head. Her voice was quivering. She resolutely walked forth. Sokka let go. Iroh held the dead fish in his hands. She put her palms over the Moon Spirit which began to glow. She closed her eyes for the last time, exhaled a final breath, and fell into Sokka's arms.

"NO!" He cried in intense despair. He cupped her cheek and looked at his companions. "She's gone." He uttered softly, hugging her body as tight as he could. "She's gone." He repeated. Because if he didn't he would never be able to accept it.

The Fire Navy ships were also desperately trying to flee from that watery monster. The incandescent blue of the Ocean Spirit flew out past the city wall into the bay were the ships had been anchored. It reformed and, towering over the fleet, strongly pushed two ships far out back at amazing speed. The fireballs thrown at him proved completely ineffective. It sliced through bridge towers and trebuchets. La raised its arms, forming a huge wave which upended many vessels and pushed all that remained of the fleet far out to sea.

Sokka was cradling Yue's inert form. Her body glowed dimly and briefly and vanished. The koi in Iroh's hand gleamed and he put it back in the pond where it started swimming. The pond shone white and a ghostly shape rose from it that coalesced into Yue's pure white form. Her hair was floating around her.

"Goodbye, Sokka. I will always be with you." The new Moon lovingly kissed the young man, her hands on his cheeks. Now at last, she could be honest with her feelings. Sokka caressed her cheek. She faded away, and the Moon shone bright again.

The Ocean Spirit, standing like a sacred guardian at the entrance of the bay, looked up to see the moon beaming once again. The creature dissipated into the ocean. The Spirit's essence flew back to the wall and deposited Aang atop it. The boy's eyes and tattoos stopped glowing but he wobbled and held the side of his head, spent with the effort. On a bridge, Zuko and Zhao were still trading blows when a series of direct hits from the exiled prince laid the Admiral flat. As Zhao tried to get up, he saw the moon over Zuko's shoulder.

"It can't be!" He exclaimed in horror. Just then, a torrent of fire fell upon him and hid him from Zuko's view for a time. When the flames dissipated, the prince saw Chenlian. But a Chenlian like he had never seen before... Her eyes were glaring with a ferocious golden light, red markings covered her body, and from her emanated a wise and regal yet fierce and overwhelming aura. And he saw wrath. And in him, fear mixed with awe. She was standing behind Zhao and had him on his knees, a foot on his back while she was keeping his arms stretched backward. Zuko tried to run to them but she glared at him and growled, making him recoil instinctively. But it wasn't Chenlian! It was a feral growl, like she was possessed by a sacred beast, by a Dr...

The Ocean Spirit approached fast and coalesced around the bridge. It grabbed Zhao and began to pull him off the bridge. Zhao struggled. Zuko snapped back and ran and reached out for him.

"Take my hand!" The teen yelled desperately.

Zhao tried to reach for it for a moment, but then he looked upon that scared face. Even though he was just a pathetic child rejected by everyone, even though they had been fighting until just a moment ago, even though he had tried numerous times to kill that disgraced little prince that no one would cry over... why was that failure of a prince trying to save him now? No! He was the great Admiral Zhao! The Moonslayer! How could he accept help from that failure?! He drew back his fist against his chest, arrogance, hate, contempt etched onto his face. The Ocean Spirit dragged him underwater where he disappeared. Zuko turned, full of anger and frustration, towards Chenlian who was back to normal.

"Why?!"

"You know why. That man killed the Moon. His sins were too great. He had to be punished no matter what. There's a limit to what people can do and hope to get away with. Be they a peasant or a king, everyone has to take responsibility for their decisions, their actions. I can ask the same to you. Why? Why did you try to save him after everything that he did?"

"Why you ask?!" But he didn't know. Even though it seemed so obvious, he didn't know! And he couldn't say it. And that angered him and frustrated him even more. The girl stared at him for a time. She sighed and her provoking, trying contenance disappeared. She walked towards him, lightly tapped his right breast with the side of left fist, her forehead leaning against his chest.

"It's fine. People shouldn't need a reason to save others. You... weren't wrong." She tightened her fist. Zuko froze, his eyes wide. _"You... weren't wrong." _A few seconds passed. Her left hand slid to his shoulder, close to his neck. "But... I'm glad." She lifted her face and smiled. It wasn't a sad, derisive, or ironic smile. Her voice thick with emotion, her eyes glistening, it was a genuinely happy, relieved, sincere smile. "I'm so glad... even though you changed, that side of you didn't change." Her hand moved up to rest on his cheek. "You're still the kind and compassionate man to whom I made that promise, aren't you?" And staring back into her warm, tender, gleaming amber eyes, the prince felt himself captured, captivated, like his soul was being drawn in.

Early morning. The Water Tribe City was heavily damaged. Several people were surveying the scene from the citadel. Master Pakku informed Katara that he had decided to go to the South Pole. Some other benders and healers wanted to join him. He then turned to his sole female disciple. It was time they helped rebuild their sister tribe. But Katara was still unsure. Aang still needed to learn waterbending.

"Well, then he better get used to calling you Master Katara." The old man smiled with pride and satisfaction.

"The Spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born. I saw a beautiful, brave young woman become the Moon Spirit." Chief Arnook said wistfully. He closed his eyes in grief. "I knew this day would come."

"You must be proud." Sokka replied.

"So proud. And sad." They looked up to the moon, still visible in the morning sky.

Some time later, Aang was looking out over the city from that same place. He turned to see Katara behind him. They gazed at each other for a moment. They come together and hug very tightly. A chittering was heard and Katara looked down to see Momo staring up at them.

"You too, Momo." She invited. The airbender extended his arm, laughing and the lemur jumped up on him. Sokka arrived and and put an arm on Aang's shoulder. Chenlian came up behind him and place a hand on his other shoulder. The five looked over the city. With a rumble, Appa rose from below, loaded for the trip. But as Katara and Sokka soon walked over to the bison, Aang turned and put both hands on Chenlian's shoulders. For some reason, she was carrying her own luggage, minus her pipa.

"You can go now." He smiled.

"But, Aang-" The firebender protested.

"That's right, Aang! What are you talking about?! Why are you asking Chenlian to leave!?" The siblings added, indignant.

"It's fine. Right now, we're not the ones she needs to be with. I'll tell you more later, so for now please just let her go." The Avatar told them. He turned to the mahogany-haired girl. "We'll be fine. Don't worry so much about us. Besides, it's not like you to be hesitating. So just go." He reassured her. The firebender tightly hugged him before doing the same to Sokka and Katara who were still quite confused. Of course, she did not forget Momo and Appa. And then, she took flight.

Among the wreckage of the sunken Fire Navy ships a small raft was sailing...

"I'm surprised, Prince Zuko, surprised that you are not at this moment trying to capture the Avatar." Iroh remarked cautiously as if testing the waters.

"I'm tired."

"Then you should rest. A man needs his rest." Iroh put a hand on his nephew's shoulder.

"That's right. You're lucky enough to have such a fine and healthy body. You shouldn't ruin it." A female voice said from behind. Iroh returned to his occupation pretending he had not seen or heard anything.

"Yeah..." The exiled prince agreed weakly.

"Maybe you'd prefer sleeping on my lap?" She suggested. Zuko froze for a few seconds, blushing.

"Stop joking." He recovered a bit of dignity and waved his hands dismissively. Then his eyes widened and he sharply turned around. "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm coming with you." Chenlian replied.

"Coming wit-" The total absurdity of the situation was shocking him to the point he was speechless for a time. They stared at each other, calmly, as if studying the other. "I thought the Avatar was more important to you than anyone else. Shouldn't you be with him, protecting him because of the promise you made him?" He questioned. But although there was bitterness, there was fear in the same time. Fear that he had said too much and once again driven her away. And there was hope. There were expectations that could never be voiced for fear of being disappointed...

"Right now, he doesn't need me. He'll be fine for a time."

"I haven't given up on capturing him."

"I know. The Fire Nation considers him as its number one enemy after all. And I'm also one of its most wanted criminals. I still can't afford to be caught now so I'll escape if I need to. But... I think if it is now, if it is the way you are are now, maybe... maybe, it could be fine. But Zuko what about you? What are you going to do with me? What do you want of me exactly? Is it to hand me over to your father? Or is it because you want me at your side like before?" And this time it was her turn to gaze at him with fear and hope. Such a disarming gaze it was... and still Zuko was hesitating. He had chased Chenlian all this time. And now she was right there, offering to stay by him. Wasn't it what he had always wanted her to do? And yet why was it that he still couldn't answer her?! What was it that he truly wanted? Who was he to begin with?! Was he Zuko, who simply wanted and needed her by his side? Was he the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation whose duty was to capture her, a traitor? There shouldn't be a damn difference! And yet...

"I... I want..." He began. Time passed. He thought he knew. He thought it couldn't be more obvious. Seconds ticked into minutes. And still nothing. Chenlian closed her eyes and sighed. She hung her head.

"Maybe... it was just my wishful thinking. Maybe... I should leave after all..." She turned around. But just as she made a step, a hand grabbed her wrist. She looked at Zuko. There was so much pain on his features. He was fighting so hard. He was struggling so desperately. And still he would not let go of her. He was squeezing her wrist so tightly it hurt. Suddenly, Iroh slammed the teens together, tightly holding them in a bear hug. Even though the two had instinctively let go and put their hands forwards to try and keep some space, Zuko's arms were now around Chenlian's shoulders while her hands were on the young man's chest. They were so squeezed it was almost hard to breathe. Such was the strength of Iroh's love for them.

"Isn't it great?! Being together again after such a long time! It's been so long since we've had such a lovely feminine presence with us! By the way, can you fish?"

The Fire Lord was sitting in his throne room, his dais wreathed in flames. Before him a young woman in her teens was kneeling.

"Chenlian still hasn't been recaptured, Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a task for you." The Fire Lord declared. The Princess looked up at him, a cruel smile on her face.

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**Author's note: this concludes the first season. So now, please tell me what you think, should I continue or not? I have put a poll on my profile, favorite and alert subsriptions will also be counted as well as reviews. By the way, reviews may also include negative points. And if you use reviews, I'd like you to explain WHY you like this story and want it to continue. It's so I can know my strong points and make the 2nd season even better if you actually want me to continue. So proper feedback will REALLY be appreciated :)**


	25. Things aren't what they seem

**Author's note: Here it is! Since you asked for it, I'm presenting you with Book 2. **

**Well, first, I (very) slightly changed Chenlian's backstory, I made the circumstances of the merging with the dragon clearer (I hope). If you want to know, I edited chapter 11 so you'll have to read it again. Sorry for the inconvenience :(**

**Secondly, I want to thank those voted on the poll, favorited this story, subcribed to it, and last but not least, those who reviewed. Powerpuff and Gadget Boy, I knew what you were going to say but I'm always grateful for your faithful support. I'll be counting on you from now :) . Z, I really appreciate your honest and balanced comment, but it seems your dislike of my writing style is just a personal opinion as there are others who like it. Princess Xmzii and shadowdanceparty, I'll do my best not to betray your expectations for this season and I hope to hear from you again. Olivia, I'm very thankful you took the trouble of writing such a detailed review. I want to write a Chenlian that changes with each season. **

**Little warning: this second book will have the appearance of a new male OC that'll have a recuring role and will also be present in book 3. Please expect even more drama :3**

**Now for Book 2! **

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**Fight ****25: Things aren't what they seem**

The Southern Air Temple... Aang ran around, looked around... pulled a tattered curtain... it was the ruined building where he had discovered Monk Gyatso's skeleton. But he was surprised to see himself sitting there in the flesh. The other Aang turned around. His eyes and the arrow symbol on his head were glowing blue and fury was etched onto his face. Obviously, that was his Avatar Spirit. Aang gasped. The wind blew violently and he saw the Avatar surrounded in an orb of wind. Sokka and Katara were there too, shielding themselves. The Avatar slammed his hands together and a bright light envelopped them. Aang was hit by the powerful blast of wind and thrown backward into the Fire Temple. He screamed as he fell and landed. He watched as the intricate Fire Temple door open, revealing the glowing Aang hovering behind it, full of rage. The Avatar opened his mouth and fire shot out. He performed a slashing motion with his hand, causing the ground beneath Aang to melt and split apart. Aang fell into the chasm and landed on the deck of a Fire Nation ship. He looked up and saw the Ocean Spirit with him in its center revealed in his wrath, approaching the ship. Stunned, the airbender watched as the Spirit struck the ship.

Aang gasped awake and breathed hard. He was in a fur hammock beneath the deck of a Water Tribe ship. There were four hammocks, two on each side. The boy was sitting on the upper left, with Katara lying asleep in the lower right. He jumped down and climbed a ladder. But with the noise, Katara had woken up. She watched him worriedly and joined him on the deck. It was still night. She asked if he wanted to talk about it but he refused, saying it was just a nightmare. He still told her about his nightmare though, how scary it was, how scary HE was... while looking so unsettled... She put a comforting hand on his shoulder as they looked over at the ocean.

The next morning, Master Pakku was on the deck with several other men from the Northern Water Tribe. He reached into a bag and pulled out a triangle-shaped phial. Its plug was decorated by a crescent moon. It could be worn like a necklace.

"Katara, I want you to have this." The Master said, his tone serious and ceremonial. "This amulet contains water from the Spirit Oasis." He handed the amulet to Katara. "The water has unique properties. Don't lose it." His face softened. The girl respectfully thanked him and embraced him before walking away. The little monk stepped forward. The old waterbender gave him an ornate wooden box. "Aang, these scrolls will help you master waterbending, but remember they're no substitute for a real master." He advised. Aang looked up at Katara, who was on top of Appa. Both benders had a small smile on their lips. He gratefully bowed and joined her. Now it was Sokka's turn. "Sokka." Hearing his name, the young warrior looked at him proudly and expectantly_._ "Take care, son." Pakku dismissively patted Sokka's arm, giving him nothing. The boy's expression melted into a very dejected and embarrassed one. "Fly straight to the Earth Kingdom base to the east of here. General Fong will provide you with an escort to Omashu. There you'll be safe to begin your earthbending training with King Bumi."

Aang gave Appa the flying command, pulled the reins, and the bison lifted off. Katara called back to her master, asking him to say hi to Gran Gran for her.

In the northern part of the Earth Kingdom, on a mountain covered with blossoming cherry trees, a certain bathhouse was stretching over a wide river. Iroh was lying belly down on a table of that bathhouse and sighing contentedly as he was being massaged by two attendants.

"Aaahhh this is what I've been missing. Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense? Ah, no, we'd be dead already. It's all thanks to your lovely childhood friend who fished and hunted and cooked for us. She really saved us back then." The old man glanced over at his nephew who was sitting to the side, his face hidden by his conical straw hat, and his back against the wooden pillar. He looked so sullen. Iroh walked over to sit beside him on the floor. "I see. It's the anniversary, isn't it?"

"Three years ago today I was banished. I lost it all." The boy began dejectedly before suddenly looking up. "I want it back. I want the Avatar, I want my honor, I want my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless."

"I'm sure he doesn't! Why would he banish you if he didn't care?" His uncle tried to reassure him. However, that did not have the desired effect due to his poorly chosen words and exaggerated optimism that screamed 'false!'. Zuko stood up and walked away. "Ugh, that came out wrong, didn't it? Wait! You got Chenlian back like you wanted, right?!" Both looked at the mahogany-haired girl meditating under the twin cherry trees. "But what are going to do with her? If you present her over to your father, he will surely allow you back at his side even if you don't have the Avatar. Or do you want to keep her at YOUR side like before?" The retired general wondered outloud. Zuko didn't answer, only stared at her with a conflicted expression before going away and blowing fire out of frustration. Chenlian opened her eyes and watched the scene, her expression unreadable.

The Princess's royal barge was a royal-class battleship, and being customized to her liking, it was very, very massive, intimidating, and heavily ornamented. Two lines of red armor-clad Fire Nation soldiers were standing on the deck, and fell to their knees as the elaborate cabin opened at the edge of the ship. Four servants carried a palanquin between the lines of soldiers. They stopped at the top of the stairs and pulled apart the curtains, revealing Azula. She stepped out and examined her soldiers. She raised a hand and looked at the two rows with an extremely sharp and cold-hearted gaze. They rose.

**"**My brother and my uncle have disgraced the Fire Lord and brought shame on all of us." She addressed them. "You may have mixed feelings about attacking members of the royal family; I understand. But I assure you, if you hesitate, I will NOT hesitate to bring you down. Dismissed." On her order, the troops quickly returned to their positions. Only the ship's captain approached as he has a remark to make...

"Princess, I'm afraid the tides will not allow us to bring the ship in to port before nightfall." The man informed her respectfully. The young woman did not turn to him and only walked to the left.

"I'm sorry, Captain, but I do not know much about the tides. Can you explain something to me?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

"Do the tides command this ship?"

"Uh? I'm afraid I do not understand."

"You said the tides would not _allow_ us to bring the ship in. Do the tides command this ship?" She developed condescendingly.

"No, Princess." The captain answered, looking over at her nervously.

"And if I were to have you thrown overboard, would the tides think twice about smashing you against the rocky shore?"

"No, Princess." The man gulped fearfully.

"Well, then, maybe you should worry less about the tides who've already made up their mind about killing you and worry more about me, who's still mulling it over." She turned to him at last.

"I'll pull us in." The captain bowed and quickly left. He had no doubt that she could and would do exactly as she had said. Despite being only fourteen, she was known for her cruel and vicious ways when removing anything that stood in her way, and for bending everything to her will through fear, schemes, or force. Her threats were never empty ones.

Sokka was boredly leaning on the edge of Appa's saddle when he suddenly stood up, looking excited. Withing the mountainous landscape, a circular, walled tower came into view. Appa landed inside. A man with a long beard and wearing a green cap and brown and green armor stepped forward. Sokka was stretching, Katara bringing their supplies down from Appa, and Aang was rubbing his behind. They stopped to look at him and the numerous soldiers behind him. He introduced himself as General Fong and bowed deeply along with his troops before graciously welcoming Avatar Aang all of the great heroes, Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara. The waterbender mentioned how she liked the way she had been called. Her brother too was looking smugly appreciative at having been called 'brave'. They were almost treated like kings and exploded behind them, and the three turned to look at them. A group of four earthbenders stepped forward, lifting small, green orbs from the ground and launching them into the air with their fists where they exploded in showers of sparks. The trio was amazed. Sokka especially seemed to enjoy this welcome.

The group was inside the base, in a large room with green-lit columns on each side of a central walkway. A desk was seen at the far end, with a large banner showing the Earth Kingdom's national emblem, a green circle with a small square in its center, just like a chinese coin or the 'rock' pai sho tile. Aang, Sokka, and Katara were sitting in the center of the room on a mat, with Fong at the desk.

"Avatar Aang, we were all amazed at the stories of how you single-handedly wiped out an entire Fire Navy fleet at the North Pole." Fong stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I can't imagine what it feels like to wield such devastating power. It's an awesome responsibility."

"Actually, Chenlian took care of about half of them. And I try not to think about it too much." Aang humbly corrected him. But then, the general smiled, as if he had not listened to a thing that had been said, and suddenly told the Avatar he was ready to face the Fire Lord now. "What?! No I'm not!" The monk exclaimed in alarmed and utter disbelief. Katara agreed. Aang still needed to master all four elements. But the general couldn't see the point in that. The Avatar already possessed enough power to destroy a hundred of battleships in a matter of minutes, so he could defeat the Fire Lord now! Sokka timidly pointed out that Aang could only do those things when he was in the Avatar state. However, Fong was already well aware of that. His eyes and tattoos glowed and he was able to summon unbelievable power.

"Without you we'd be slaughtered before we even reach their shores. But with you leading the way as the ultimate weapon, we could cut a swath right through to the heart of the Fire Nation." He pointed at the map, drawing a line with his finger from the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation. However, the uncertain child didn't know how to get in or out of the Avatar state, much less what to do once he was there. "So it's decided then. I'll help you figure out how to get into the Avatar state, and then you'll face your destiny." The man turned to the trio who stood up. Aang was surprised and Katara angry.

"No, nothing's decided. We already have a plan. Aang's pursuing _his_ destiny _his_ way." The waterbender affirmed, her arms crossed. How dared that man call her friend a 'weapon'?!

"Well, while you take your time learning the elements, the war goes on. May I show you something?" Fong and Aang walked over to a circular window overlooking two orange-roofed buildings. A large crowd was standing outside one. "That's the infirmary, and those soldiers are the lucky ones. They came back." It was war. During war, people died. Even during talks, the fighting was still going on somewhere, and more people died. Aang looked down sadly._ "_Every day the Fire Nation takes lives. People are **_dying_**, Aang! You could end it, now! Think about it."

On her ship, Azula was practicing her lightning bending. Two old women – twins – were watching her from the top of the stairs. They were Li and Lo, her firebending teachers, although they were not firebender themselves. The sun was setting. Keeping only her index and middle finger from both hands extended and drawn together while closing her other fingers into fists, Azula swung an arm around, electricity sparking from her left hand, and brought it around in a circle, then moved her right hand in a similar way. She brought her fingers together, and then lunged forward, launching a lightning bolt from her left hand. The lightning arched over the edge of the ship. Her fingers were smoking and a single strand of hair was dangling in front of her face. Her teachers commented almost perfect performance. She had one hair out of place. The girl angrily glared at her strand of hair.

"'Almost' isn't good enough!" She snarled fiercely and started training again after putting her hair back into place. She was a perfectionist, just like Chenlian who was going through the exact same training. In his room of the bathhouse, Iroh woke up with a start and looked out the doorway. He had a bad feeling. And for a similar reason, Chenlian decided to stop there her lightning generation training for the day and practice healing through the infusion of chi. Well, that said, both were quite taxing on her chi and energy reserves.

Night had fallen when Aang came to talk to General Fong who was studying a map at his desk. Although still uncertain, Aang had decided to go along with his plan and to fight the Fire Lord. He returned to the dimly-lit room he shared with the Water Tribe siblings. He sat down on his bed as Katara sat up on hers, Momo on her lap. The monk quietly informed her of his decision to help the general by going into the Avatar state. The girl expressed her disagreement. This was not the right way. Her brother didn't see why not though, as Aang had been incredible when he had taken out the Fire Navy. The waterbender insisted. There was a right way to do this: practice, study, and discipline.

"Or just glow it up and stop that Fire Lord." Sokka remarked. Katara rose from her bed and went to the boys.

"If you two meatheads want to throw away everything we've worked for, fine. Go ahead and glow it up!" She stormed angrily and left

"Katara, I'm just being realistic. I don't have time to do this the right way." Aang justified himself as he stood up too and started after, sad, almost ashamed, needing her understanding, her approval.

The next morning, in an open-air building atop of a cliff away from the base, a man was brewing a rare chi-enhancing tea known as a natural stimulant. In an ordinary warrior it improved strength and energy ten-fold. But in the Avatar, it might induce the Avatar state. Fong, and the watertribe siblings were there too. He poured Aang a cup the boy drank. He began to race around the small structure on his air scooter while the others remained motionless.

"Is it working, is it working? I can't tell! Somebody tell me if I'm in the Avatar state 'cause I don't have a good view of myself! Am I talking too loud?" The monk spoke in a fast, high-pitched, hyper voice while zooming everywhere. Sokka suggested, obviously bored, that Aang could _talk_ the Fire Lord to death... before his airbending friend collided with a column, almost knocking himself out. They changed location and went to the entrance gate to the base. Aang and Katara were kneeling on the ground while Fong was standing behind them, stroking his beard as usual. Sokka was before them, his hands clasped behind his back. His idea was to shock Aang into the Avatar state. The little one cheerfully replied he loved surprises. Katara covered his eyes with her hands. When she removed them, Momo's head has replaced Sokka's. The monk screamed in frigh, but that was all. No glowing. Sokka lost his balance, and both he and Momo toppled over noisily. The general shook his head: second plan, second failure. Now on to the next one.

Aang had been forced to don a ridiculous and mismatched attire over his airbender outfit: an Earth Kingdom hat with long leaves, a blue Water Tribe cape lined with white fur, and a red Fire Nation skirt. The General, Sokka, and Katara were watching from the sidelines as a fake-looking priest started his spell, saying the Avatar was wearing a ceremonial piece of clothing from each of the bending nations, and that he (the priest) was going to join the four elements into one. As he mentioned each element, he threw water, dirt, and a torch into some sort of large bowl, and blew air into the mixture he then threw at Aang, splattering him with mud. Again, no reaction, since it was really just mud. The priest gave the boy an odd look, asking if he truly didn't feel anything. The airbender's nose began to twitch. He lifted up a finger, causing a hopeful expression to appear on the faces of the onlookers. But then, Aang sneezed, splattering _them_ in mud.

"We have to find a way." Fong said determinedly as he wiped the mud from his face. The third plan had ended in a third failure.

At the bathhouse, Iroh emptied a bag of seashells on a table and he lifted a few, inspecting them, impatient that Chenlian would come back from training so he could show them to her. He didn't know yet that had she been there, she would have found them pretty, yes, but instead of keeping them (as they broke easily and weren't of any use really anyway) she would have made them into jewelry and sold them, or traded them. But since she wasn't back yet...

"Look at these magnificent shells! I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come." He told his nephew.

"We don't need anymore useless things. You forget we have to carry everything ourselves now." The teen reminded him. Iroh sighed. With both Zuko and Chenlian being so practical, with whom should he contemplate the simple beauty of things?

"Hello, brother. Uncle." A voice suddenly greeted them coldly. Azula was sitting at the table on the other side of the room. She was holding a seashell. The two males looked surprised, and then angry.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko stepped forward and questioned accusingly.

"In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello' before asking questions_._" She replied arrogantly, utterly unaffected by their glares, and sliding in a snide undertone implying that despite being the same family, her country was no longer theirs. She stood up and walked over to face her brother. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?"

"Don't call me that!" Zuko yelled furiously.

"To what do we owe this honor?" Iroh helped his nephew.

"Hmm... must be a family trait. Both of you so quick to get to the point." The princess shattered one of Iroh's shells with her sharp nails on this last word. The former general grew suspicious at this small outburst. "I've come with a message from home. Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him. He's heard rumors of plans to overthrow him... treacherous plots. Family are the only ones you can really trust." Her voice and expression softened. "Father regrets your banishment. He wants you home." She concluded. Zuko looked down quietly, unable to answer anything, too scared to believe her, to raise his hopes, for fear of having them smashed. He turned to the window and looked outside. "Did you hear me? You should be happy, excited, grateful_. _I just gave you great news..." She developed with such a pleasant expression.

"I'm sure your brother just needs a moment to-" The previous crown prince spoke before being angrily interrupted by Azula.

"Don't interrupt, Uncle! I still haven't heard my thank you. I am not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

"Father regrets? He… wants me back?" The exiled prince repeated his sister's words in quiet disbelief. Azula acknowledged he still needed time to take things in and informed him she would come to call on him the next day. She bid them good evening and left. She shouldn't be too forceful and impatient now and risk ruining things. Luring him was a better strategy when it came to her brother. She knew that better than anyone. And she knew exactly which of his strings to pull, when, and how.

At the Earth Kingdom base, Aang and Katara were standing on the wall. She needed to talk to him. This time at the air temple, when he had found Monk Gyatso's skeleton, it must have been so horrible and traumatic for him, she had seen him get so upset that he wasn't even him anymore. She admitted that the Avatar state possessed incredible and helpful power. But he had to understand, for the people who loved him, watching him be in that much rage and pain was really scary. The boy thanked her for her honesty but he still need to do this. However, Katara didn't understand why.

"No, you don't. Every day more and more people die. I'm already a hundred years late. Defeating the Fire Lord is the only way to stop this war. I have to try it." He explained himself. But even though she accepted his decision, it didn't mean she approved. She quietly told him she couldn't watch him do this to himself. She wouldn't come anymore.

"We're going home! After three long years... It's unbelievable!" Zuko was happily and excitedly packing his things this night. His uncle was standing by the window and thoughtfully looking down. Chenlian was leaning against a table, her arms crossed, with a sealed expression. They had told her everything when she had returned. And now she was watching and listening silently as she was aware she wasn't in the best position to talk. She felt it was safer to leave things to Iroh.

"It IS unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret anything." The previous crown prince noted sceptically.

"Did you listen to Azula? Father's realized how important family is to him. He cares about me!" At first he sounded surprised, and then forceful.

"**_I_** care about you! And if Ozai wants you back... well, I think it may not be for the reasons you imagine." The old man tried to mitigate his nephew's hopes, in vain.

"You don't know how my father feels about me. You don't know anything." Zuko retorted defensively, and stiffened as he turned his back on his relative.

"Zuko, I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem." Iroh said gently, but that only served to anger him more.

"I think you are exactly what you seem: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother." The male teen nastily accused his uncle as he whirled around furiously to face him, leaning in. That was more than what Chenlian could endure... she walked up to Zuko and slapped him.

"Don't you dare talk to Iroh like this. Given their age, Iroh spent much more time with Ozai than you, and knows him much better than you too. Just because he prefers to love, respect, and enjoy life more than killing and trampling on others and is tired after all he has endured, you can't go treating him like this, even though he has showered you with so much love. When have your father and sister last shown you love, huh? If you can use past actions to judge someone, then they can't be trusted! They don't have feelings for anyone, family or friends they will use them and throw the bones to their faithful dogs. And Azula always lies, you also know that! It certainly wouldn't be the first time she tricked you. Think a little, be objective: why would they want you back? Iroh was a military adviser during the siege of the North Pole, they must blame him for the defeat there and siding with the Water Tribe during the Moon incident. And they must see you as a failure for not having captured the Avatar. They're not-" But she had been a little too earnest, too passionate...

"IT'S ALL **_YOUR_** FAULT! So don't YOU dare speak about them like this!" Zuko shouted, full of rage and bitterness again. "YOU destroyed half the fleet at the North Pole! And YOU stopped me time and time again from capturing the Avatar! If they see us like this, that'd be because of YOU! You're really a traitor who tries to beguile me and set me up against my father! You're just using me as a tool for your revenge!" He stormed. The girl recoiled slightly, clearly stung, but recovered the next second. Her face darkened.

"Is that really what you think?" She asked; calm and cold again. "I can't blame you for saying that I'm a traitor. But to think you'd actually believe I'm just beguiling you and using you..." She looked truly hurt and self-derisive for a time, and the prince faltered for a second. But then, her face grew hard and implacable. "Indeed, I had a hand in the North Pole and the protection of the Avatar. And I'd do it again. I found things more important than me. But you... you travelled so much, and yet you didn't see anything. Didn't you feel anything witnessing the state of this world, or Zhao killing the Moon? I was with the Avatar because I've had enough of all this destruction. I returned to you because I thought you were still the kind and sympathetic boy to whom I made this promise. But it seems I was wrong. I'm going back to the Avatar. Will you try to stop me and capture me? Will you sell me to Azula?" She probed him, her golden eyes boring straight into his. He turned around and said nothing, as if pretending it couldn't be helped since she had escaped while he wasn't looking. "I see. Well, thank you, I guess. Next time we meet – if we do – we'll be enemies. Goodbye, and good luck." She took her stuff and left. So at least, he was letting her go free.

"Is that really alright?" Iroh asked his nephew. In response, Zuko screamed, turned, and with a fire-enhanced heel drop, destroyed the table against which Chenlian had been leaning.

**_"Is that really alright?"_**Guang worriedly questioned his host who was angrily marching up the mountain among the cherry trees. He knew how much Chenlian wanted to be with Zuko. Even though he continually hurt her, for some reason, being separated pained her even more. It was irrational. Personally, there were times when he'd love to tear that man's body and spirit to shreds and gobble him down so he'd never hurt her again, but that was something he couldn't do.

_"Of course it's alright! That was their choice, and that was mine. Or what? I should have captured them and used force? That would have had the opposite effect. Unless you're suggesting that WE should get captured instead and return to that cage?"_

**_"So you're simply letting Azula take them away?"_**

_"Isn't it good? Let them merrily walk straight into her trap. Aang will no longer have to worry about being pursued by Zuko. And with Azula after him, it wouldn't be too much to add my firepower to his group. We should return to him without wasting time. If we bother with someone who regards us with such resentment and lacks judgement and care to this extent, then no matter how many lives we have, it won't be enough. And maybe spending some time in a cell will serve to get that guy's head straight again. After all this time, he should know better than to trust her. He needs to learn his lesson. In this world, you can't get by if you remain an idiot who trusts too much. You'll get eaten. Or are you telling me to still cling to him after everything?"_She was angry, and with reason.

**_"And still, rather than hand you over to Azula, he set you free. Just like it cannot be helped that you're still attached to him despite all the pain he puts you through and hope that he changes and turns to you, it also cannot be helped that he clings to his family and hopes that they accept him. His naivety, his persistency, his capacity to keep trusting after being betrayed, to believe, to forgive, his kindness... aren't they what endeared him to you? That still hasn't changed-"_**

_"I know! But then what am I supposed to do?!"_She interrupted, slowing down.

**_"You're right. His being tricked by Azula is nothing new. So as usual, you just need to be there for him and comfort him when he realizes his mistake. And I also agree that we can't waste time, and we can't force them. One day. Tomorrow, they'll go to Azula. Let's watch them for a day. If nothing happens, we'll leave and return to the Avatar. If something happens..."_**They stopped and looked over in the direction where Azula's ship was moored.

The Avatar exploded from the river between the icy cliffs in a tall column of swirling water. He turned down toward a Fire Nation ship with the Aang standing on the deck. The Avatar landed on the deck and swung his vortex of water like a whip, knocking Aang overboard like he had done with the Fire Nation soldiers, months ago at the South Pole. He then turned towards Zuko behind him, who, after briefly assuming a defensive stance, ran away. But then, the Avatar, no, Aang, no longer glowing, launched a slicing jet of water at him, as if to cut him in two. Aang woke up with a start, gasping. He woke Sokka up and told him about his change of mind. He didn't think they should be trying to bring on the Avatar state after all. And since he seemed to be sure, Sokka shrugged and accepted it. The airbender was scared that the general would get mad though. His friend tried to reassure him. What could he say? Aang was the Avatar. Who knew better than him?

His bag over his shoulder, Zuko was climbing down the stairway outside the bathhouse. He paused for a moment and looks down at the Fire Nation ship in the bay below, then went on... Before Iroh called him urgently, asking him to wait and not leave without him. He was quickly descending the stairs with his own bag over his shoulder. Zuko was happily surprised that his uncle had changed his mind.

"Family sticks together, right?" Iroh put a comforting hand on his shoulder. The boy smiled gratefully.

"And Chenlian?" The prince could not help but ask hopefully, looking around. The old man shook his head negatively. Zuko looked down. Well, of course. Chenlian was a traitor, if she came, she'd be thrown into jail right away, never to see light again. And he was the one who had let her go, or maybe who had made her leave. He did resent her. But despite everything, he still didn't want her to go through that again, and he also wanted to prove her wrong, that even without her or the Avatar, he could still be warmly welcomed by his loving family. But no matter how much he rationalized, he still couldn't help but feel this disappointment, this emptiness, this absence, that seemed to be slowly growing, eroding his heart. He looked at his sister's ship. "We're finally going home." Surely, once he was home, this hole would be filled. He continued walking down the stairs but his uncle cast a second glance at the ship... a dubious one...

At the Earth Kingdom base, Aang was explaining his point of view to the general. He didn't think they could ever be able to trigger the Avatar State on purpose, so guess it was over. Fong looked disappointed and asked if he really couldn't change his mind. But no, unfortunately, Aang could only reach the Avatar state when he was in genuine danger.

"I see. I was afraid you'd say that." The general said sadly as he stepped back, causing a small shock wave. He pushed forward, sending his desk flying and ramming into Aang, shocking him and his friend. Sokka cried his name and tried to go after him, but was restrained by two guards. The desk crashed through the tower's wall. Aang screamed as he was about to hit the ground before slowing his fall with a gust of air. He tumbled forward, and the desk crashed and broke apart behind him. Fong appeared at the broken 'window' and angrily pointed at Aang, ordering his men to attack the Avatar. The monk's eyes widened in surprise as four groups of three guards closed in around him. The general leapt down and landed, sending a wave of moving earth toward Aang who jumped over it and asked what he was doing. "I believe we are about to get results." Fong replied with a sinister expression.

Fire Nation soldiers had formed two ranks along the pier leading to the ship. Zuko and Iroh walked toward them. Azula was standing at the top of the gangway, flanked by two guards and watching as her brother and uncle marched between the lines of soldiers. Zuko looked content, unlike Iroh who was eyeing them suspiciously. They were surrounded. The princess raised her arms in greeting and bowed to them.

"Brother! Uncle!" She hailed them. Both bowed in response. The old man opened one eye slightly, watching the soldiers beside him. "Welcome. I'm so glad you decided to come." At her words, the two files of footmen closed in behind Zuko and Iroh.

"Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?" The captain questioned.

"Set our course for home, Captain." Azula replied pleasantly.

"Home..." Zuko whispered wistfully. He and his uncle climbed up the gangway.

"You heard the princess! Raise the anchors! We're taking the prisoners home-" The captain ordered before stopping abruptly, realizing his mistake. The 'prisoners' stopped too, surprised. Azula glared at the captain who stammered, mortified. Zuko's eyes widened. Iroh suddenly spun around, backhanding a guard off of the ship and kicking another down the incline before elbowing one and punching another and grabbing yet another, spinning him around and tossing him. All of that in an instant as his nephew threw the captain in the water and stalked up the gangway, furious.

"You lied to me!" He raged.

"Like I've never done that before..." His sister replied smugly and walked away, leaving her guards to launch fire at the royal rebels. Zuko brushed the flames aside and charged forward, screaming.

The six earthbenders on either side of Aang lifted circular discs of earth with square holes in the middle and hurled them at the child who avoided them all thanks to his agility and bending.

"I am not your enemy! I won't fight you!" He insisted with a pleading voice. Four more discs were launched at him, and he leapt over them as they collided right where he was standing. He landed on one of the upright discs, and another flew from the left and knocked it over. As he fell, two of the other upright discs closed in around him, but he had managed to scrunch in the square holes in the discs that began to roll before an earthbender shattered them. Aang went flying and skidded along the ground. He stood up, surveying the troops around him. Sokka was still being held by two guards in the tower. He stomped on the guards' feet and escaped while they fell in pain. He ran to the broken wall that Aang fell out of and looked down. Four earthbenders had the Avatar surrounded and were throwing their stone discs at him. Again, Aang evaded them. He zoomed off on his air scooter and zig-zaged between the walls of earth raised to stop him. He shot past two spear-wielding guards on ostrich-horses that began to chase after him. He went up the wall of the base with the creatures in pursuit. Toward the top, his air ball disippated and he ran, the mounted guards closing in on him and narrowly missing him with their spears. Aang hit the ground and tumbled forward, the creatures jumping down behind him and the spears barely missing him again. But he had stumbled onto one of the disc-shaped portions of the floor... Fong lifted it up with his earthbending skills, trapping Aang in the center hold and bringing him to him.

"You can't run forever!"

"You can't fight forever!" The Avatar shouted back. Fong jumped forward, smashing the ring with his foot. The boy leapt away.

On Azula's ship, Zuko leapt on board, knocking the two guards on either side out of the way with flames before taking up a fighting stance, fire daggers appearing in his fists. Azula remained cool, keeping her back to him, and smirked evily. Iroh was fighting the soldiers on the pier and knocking them off.

"Zuko! Let's go!" He ordered.

"Say, Zuzu, you know Father blames Uncle for the loss at the North Pole. And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar. Why would he want you back home, except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him?" The princess cruelly taunted her brother.

He recalled Chenlian's words... _"And Azula always lies, you also know that! It certainly wouldn't be the first or last time she tricked you. Think a little, be objective: why would they want you back?__Iroh was a military adviser during the siege of the North Pole, they must blame him for the defeat there and siding with the Water Tribe during the Moon incident. And they must see you as a failure for not having captured the Avatar."_ They were almost the same, word for word... And, overcome with rage and frustration, Zuko charged. However, as the siblings were fighting – or rather, as Azula was easily containing her brother and one-sidedly controlling the bout – vapour had risen from the sea and was submerging the pier and ship. Just what was happening?! This was clearly not a natural phenomenon! Suddenly, a leg came down on the princess. She blocked with her arms, gritting her teeth from the power of the impact before swinging her arms. The person flipped, landed on their hands and flipped again and assumed a fighting stance. They were dressed in a dark maroon outfit and wearing the half mask of the Dragon Empress. The person smirked and made a beckoning gesture, her countenance exuding disdain. It was Azula's turn to charge angrily after having been so clearly belittled. But that had been just a ploy to monopolize her attention, and it had worked. What more... she and the new comer were battling on equal footing! All of their blows were parried and noone could land a proper hit! However, the royal daughter's expression had changed as she had recognized that person's fighting style... and that mask... And now, Zuko, who had been too shocked to move at first had decided to return and attack his sister again... much to the masked woman's damn who had hoped for him to use the opportunity she had given him to escape.

Azula quickly saw her disadvantage... two against one, with THAT girl as one of her opponents was overdoing it a little. However, she now possessed something the other didn't have, and didn't know she had... The princess tried to get her brother with a plume of blue fire. On instinct, Zuko backed off and tumbled down the incline while the remaining fighter caught her arm, shifted, and threw her away. Azula landed on her feet on the platform while her opponent ran to Zuko. The exiled prince's vision cleared to see that person standing before him, her back to him. His sister was swinging her arms in arcs... only to be mirrored by the other female who was standing her ground. Lightning danced around them, but against all expectations, Iroh caught Azula's fingers just as she was about to strike and redirected the current through his body and to his other hand and shot it away. It hit the cliff, causing a rockfall. He slightly twisted her arm and kicked her overboard. The masked fighter helped Zuko up and the three ran back up the pier.

Aang ran as four discs fell from the sky to crush him. Screaming, he veered left, with a disc rolling after him. Katara was sitting on her bed, her knees tucked up. The room shook and she worriedly glanced down at Momo who had woken up. She wondered what crazy thing they were trying now (unlike Momo who purred back to sleep) and decided to go make sure her friend was okay. She ran the stairs down the tower and met with her brother at the bottom and asked him what was going on. He told her the general's gone crazy and he was trying to force Aang into the Avatar state.

Sokka tossed his boomerang and knocked a soldier out cold, his disc falling over. Suddenly, the spear of the mounted guard who was chasing the monk was cut. He turned and realized Karara had sliced it with her water, and she immediately knocked him off his animal. The Earth soldier unconscious, Sokka slowly and cautiously approached the creature and nervously coaxed the 'good bird/horse thingy'. He grabbed the reins and leapt on the back of the ostrich-horse that took off running. But as soon as he did, Katara, who hadn't moved, found herself the target of many discs, ready to rocket towards her and crush at Fong's will. Meanwhile, the Avatar had left the danger zone and climbed up the stairway of the tower behind him.

"Maybe you can avoid me, but she can't." The general warned. The earthbenders created a v-shaped wall with their discs, making sure that the only means of escape was by General Fong. Katara attacked him with her waterstream, but he raised dirt that absorbed the water, creating a patch of mud. He changed his stance and the girl spun around and sank knee high into the ground. She struggled to escape but was unable to move.

"Don't hurt her!" Aang screamed angrily and leapt down and shot a stream of air at Fong who quickly raised a wall of rock to protect himself. He lowered it and turned back to Katara, who sank deeper into the ground. She cried fearfully. Sokka rode out from behind one of the discs and charged toward the general but the veteran sank the animal's legs and the Water Tribesman got tossed from his ostrich and landed in the hole of a disc. "Stop this! You have to let her go." The airbender begged angrily at he ran to Fong and grabbed his arm.

"You could save her if you were in the Avatar state." The man taunted him maliciously as he glared down at him.

"I'm trying...! I'm trying!" Tears of frustration and desperation flowed from Aang's eyes. The waterbender sank down to chest level. She called the airbender for help, reminding him that she was sinking, as if he couldn't see that himself.

"I don't see glowing." Fong replied mockingly, sinking the girl deeper into the earth, now only her head remained visible. She pleaded, terrified. The Avatar dropped to the ground, still clutching the general's hand.

"You don't need to do this!" He cried hysterically.

"Apparently I do." And the officer made Katara disappear totally into the ground. Aang dived for her, just barely missing her hands. The arrow mark on his head and his eyes began to glow and he turned around. His Avatar State had been activated. He glared furiously at Fong who lifted his fist into the air in victory and exulted until a strong blast of wind hit him and drove him far back. His grin quickly faded as he grew terrified. He had triggered the wrath of someone he shouldn't have. All that power he wanted was now directed against him. Aang lifted himself up in a vortex of dirt.

Azula was in the bathhouse and showing a wanted poster with pictures of Iroh and Zuko and warning the staff and citizens that anyone who harbored those traitors would face the wrath of the Fire Lord. The civilians cowered in fear before her anger and menace.

Zuko, Iroh and their helper had fled into the mountains. They stopped on a path near a small stream. The men collapsed onto their knees. They should be safe here. Well, it was Chenlian who had led them here. She removed her mask. They asked her why she had returned and saved them... and why disguised.

"Because Zuko isn't ready to accept me. After all, I am a traitor who has declared herself enemy of his father. I know Azula. I was just waiting to see if there would be any slip up on her side, and luckily as it could be, there was. Besides, I wasn't going to get so angry at you now and completely abandon you simply because you were tricked again by your sister. It happened so often in the past. Anyway, wait here a minute. I'll go get my bag." Chenlian walked away. Guang had been right. He knew her better than she knew herself. She simply couldn't leave Zuko alone. She shouldn't be caring this much about him, but she couldn't help it. She couldn't let go... However, she had barely gone a few yards that her eyes widened and she collapsed, writhing, rolling, clawing herself, clawing the ground, whimpering, panting, sweating, grinding her teeth, her face distorted by the unbelievable strain and pain she was under as desperate as she was trying to keep Guang in check. She had felt his surge of power coming, in the same time as he had warned her, the same she had felt on Roku's island, allowing her, although barely, to put up barriers in time. But the power was leaking out. The glow of her eyes was flickering and the markings slowly appearing as her blood was boiling.

"What's that?! What's happening to you?!" Zuko was panicking. He rushed to her clearly anxious, fearful, and eager to help her.

"Stay back! You can't do anything! You can't help me!" The agonizing girl yelled. The root of her pain wasn't physical so no mixture, word, bending... nothing of the sort could alleviate it. What more, being near her when she was like this was too dangerous. Zuko froze. He understood that she was protecting him again and that she had said that only because there truly was nothing that could be done. He had also understood she had wanted to protect what was left of his reputation, his image, his self-esteem by intervening on Azula's ship as she did. He understood... but...

_"Because Zuko isn't ready to accept me."_

_"You can't do anything! You can't help me!"_ Even though they were not said with malicious intentions those words had hurt him. Because they were the simple truth, because they reminded him of his own powerlessness, they had stung him deeply. He wanted to do something for her but he couldn't.

_"You're really a traitor who tries to beguile me and set me up against my father! You're just using me as a tool for your revenge!" _Even though he had said that, she had not abandonned him. She had returned to him, she had returned FOR him. But still, she was putting a distance... she was putting a wall between them. He understood her... he couldn't blame her after these past years, these past months... days... but how could he just watch her in so much pain without doing anything?! And why was his uncle also restraining him?! How could he say it was fine and would subside soon?! So he didn't listen, broke free and tightly hugged her. Chenlian tried to push him away but ended up clinging to him for dear life.

In the Earth Kingdom base, the Avatar was still swirling in his vortex of dust with a very menacing expression. General Fong was shouting at him that Katara was safe (and indeed the girl emerged from the ground, gasping, after he raised his arms) and it had just been a trick to trigger the Avatar state... AND IT HAD WORKED! The earthbender was looking like a madman. However, it wasn't enough to alleviate the Avatar's anger. The vortex suddenly collapsed and Aang slammed into the ground, a cloud of dust shooting forward. Fong was sent flying. Large chunks of earth rose from the ground, sending Earth Kingdom soldiers into the air. The wave of destruction crashed into the buildings around the base, cracking them apart. The airbender was still hovering... before his spirit suddenly left his body. He and Roku were riding Fang and overlooking the wrecked base. They quickly flew away.

"It's time you learned." Roku declared. "The Avatar state is a defense mechanism, designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars. The glow is the combination of all your past lives, focusing their energy through your body. In the avatar state you are at your most powerful... but you are also at your most vulnerable..." He informed in the boy who asked what he meant. "If you are killed in the Avatar state, the reincarnation cycle will be broken and the Avatar will cease to exist." With these words, Roku vanished. Aang looked away sadly. The dragon spiraled down toward the base and crashed into the child's body and disappeared as did the sphere of wind around the Avatar. Aang's body went limp and fell to the ground, no longer glowing. He glanced at the ruins of the base around him and sat up, his arms around his knees. Katara ran to him, knelt at his side and embraced him, and he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry, Katara. I hope you never have to see me like that again." The airbender apologized, tired and remorseful.

"Hah! Are you joking? That was almost perfect! We just have to find a way to control you when you're like that." Fong contradicted him as he walked to them. Aang said he was out of his mind but was ignored as the general starting talking about figuring a way to control him on the way to the Fire Nation. But then Sokka rode up behind him on his ostrich-horse and knocked him out with his boomerang.

"Anybody got a problem with that?" He looked at the soldiers who all shook their heads in unison. Sokka dismounted. The earthbenders approach the others and bowed. One asked if they still wanted an escort to Omashu. But they turned him down. They were all set.

In the mountains close to the bathhouse, Chenlian was also calming down. As soon as she had recovered a little – just enough to stand and walk - she apologised and went to take her pack. He wanted her to rest more. He tried to persuade her but she refused. They didn't have time. They had already wasted enough of it as it was. She left. She was carrying herself well before them but she staggered as soon as she was out of their sight. Her body was still shaking. She returned soon though, only to stop at a distance when she saw Zuko cut his ponytail and lending his knife to his uncle who cut his topknot. Of course it would be bad to look exactly like your wanted poster but that was not all. She watched silently, respectfully as they 'chose' to remove this symbol, to renounce their title, their social status, their pride, their 'honor' and let them flow down the river. They stood up. The girl approached them. She had changed into more casual clothes. She smiled sadly, warmly and took them into her arms in a group hug. They held her too before the three let go and stared into the distance.


	26. Hearts in the dark

**Fight****26: Hearts in the dark**

On a shallow river, Katara was teaching Aang waterbending while Sokka, wearing only a loincloth, was lazily riding in a boat made of an enormous leaf with Momo curled up on his belly. He had also untied his ponytail. He wanted to know if they were going to be done soon as they had a lot of ground to cover if they wanted make it to Omashu today. Katara, wearing the equivalent of a white and light blue two piece bathing suit, replied teasingly that it was not like he was ready to go right now either. But her brother argued he could be ready in two minutes. Aang though wanted to return to training. His female master was showing him the octopus form. The girl agreed and the Avatar showed her his form. She evaluated it and came over to correct it, standing right behind him, touching his arms...

"Your arms are too far apart. See, if you move them closer together you protect your center. You got it ." She advised him. Aang blushed, flustered and happy at this closeness, and stammered his thanks. Then Katara returned to her position for the practical training. Aang made a dozen water tentacles sprout from the river and she shot icicles at him in rapid fire. He managed to deflect them all... and even grab one of Katara's leg with a tentacle, slightly surprising her. She straightened up and smiled good-heartedly, her hands on her hips. "You make a fine octopus, Pupil Aang." She congratulated him. And indeed, the boy had encased himself in a bubble of water, his arms and, consequently, his tentacles were waving lazily around him. He was clearly having fun imitating an octopus.

Suddenly, Momo raised himself as he heard music and singing. Sokka sat up too, bringing down the lemur's ears that were blocking his view. Then everyone saw a group of travelers dressed in colorful mix of Asian and Polynesian styles walk by, playing instruments, singing, dancing. Ahead was a middle-aged man playing a small lute and singing. He had a weird headpiece and a flower garland at his neck. The woman on his left was dressed in black and peach, wore a turban-like headpiece ornated with a single flower and played a transverse flute. A rotund fellow behind him was in a cream and pink outfit, a straw hat with a pink flower and played a drum. There were two other members, a man and a woman. Momo took flight, causing Sokka's leaf boat to capsize and he yelled as he fell into the water. The five-people troupe stopped, finally noticing the kids. The leader smiled and greeted the "river people" but Katara gestured negatively. They were not river people. Aang said they were just... people. Sokka came over and pointed an accusing finger at the new comers asking who THEY were. The chief introduced himself as Chong, and the woman next to him was his wife Lily. They were nomads, happy to go wherever the wind took them.

"You guys are nomads? That's great! I'm a nomad!" The Avatar rejoiced.

"Hey, me too." Chong exclaimed.

"I know... you just said that." Aang said flatly, a little disconcerted. Was that man just slow or plain stupid?

"Oh." The leader's attention then wandered to Sokka... "Nice underwear." He complimented. Sokka's eyes bulged at the sudden realization that he was wearing very little in front of complete strangers. He grabbed Momo and placed him strategically before going over to fetch his clothes...

Grumbling, Zuko stumbled upon his uncle who was squatting before a plant, entranced before its pretty white and red flower. Both were in a forest, clad in dark green cross-over tops and pants and armguards. Short black hair now covered the teen's head. The young man asked what the old one was doing.

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious it's heartbreaking!" Iroh answered dreamily. "That, or it's the white jade bush, which is poisonous." He considered gravely.

"We need food, not tea. And Chenlian warned you not to touch plants you were unsure of, didn't she? She really insisted on that. I'm going fishing." Zuko reminded his uncle before leaving. However, Iroh was still contemplating...

"Delectable tea... or deadly poison ?"

Appa groaned contentedly. Locks of his fur had been braided and adorned with small pink flowers. Aang had a crown of matching pink flowers. Everyone but Sokka was lying on or close to Appa listening to Chong's music. The Water Tribesman approached and the airbender told him to hear some of the troupe's stories. These guys had been everywhere.  
Chong stopped playing and corrected the 'Little Arrowhead'. They had not gone everywhere, but where they hadn't been they had heard about through stories and songs. Sokka raised an eyebrow in skepticism. Aang said those people had also offered to take them to see a giant night crawler. And Moku (the round man) moonily added that on the way there was a waterfall that created a never-ending rainbow.

"Look, I hate to be the wet blanket here but since Katara is busy I guess it's up to me." Sokka began firmly. At this, his sister, whose hair was being braided and adorned by pretty yellow flowers by Lily, looked crossly up at him. "We need to get to Omashu. No sidetracks, no worms, and definitely no rainbows." He counted off the forbidden distractions on his hand.

"Whoa... sounds like someone's got a case of "destination fever" heh. You're worried too much about where you're going." The troupe leader commented in a carefree manner.

"You've gotta focus less on the "where" and more on the "going"." His wife explained.

"O-MA-SHU." The boy emphasised each syllable exaggeratedly since those guys didn't seem to listen to him. Maybe he wasn't being clear and simple enough. Katara agreed after a pang of conscience. They needed to find King Bumi so Aang could learn earthbending somewhere safe.

"Well, sounds like you're headed to Omashu." Chong brilliantly deduced, causing Sokka to smack his forehead. "There's an old story about a secret pass... right through the mountains..." He continued ominously. Katara interrupted, wondering whether it was real or a legend. Given this bunch, it was natural to be doubtful. "Oh, it's a real legend. And it's as old as earthbending itself." He started playing his lute and singing about two lovers, forbidden from one another… a war dividing their people, and a mountain dividing them apart. They had built a path to be together. And he had forgotten the next lines, although he recalled it was about a secret tunnel. And the other members started playing and dancing too. Everyone but Sokka was enjoying the song. And when Chong concluded with a flourish his audience, except Sokka, clapped.

"I think we'll just stick with flying. We've dealt with the Fire Nation before. We'll be fine." The teen warrior joined his friends. The monk concurred. Appa hated going underground and they needed to do whatever made Appa most comfortable.

However, soon after they left the joyous company, the Avatar and his friends met with a barrage of fiery rocks launched by Fire Nation catapults. And screaming in terror, they returned the way they came, covered in ash. Depressed, they passed by Chong and his band.

"Secret love cave. Let's go." Sokka declared unenthusiastically.

Chenlian cut a few herbs, found fern shoots, lotus roots, wild red berries and stumbled upon Iroh searching for something, surely his own contribution to the next meal. She asked if he had seen Zuko, and without turning back, he informed her he had gone fishing. Well, she had gathered enough food so she told him to return to the clearing, she'd be there in a minute with his nephew. The girl first went to see if any fish had been trapped in her net of woven cattail leaves. And there were. Just then she heard splashing and went to see. Zuko was trying to spear fish with a long pole and had just caught a minnow-like one. He cursed. This wasn't nearly enough to feed three grown people. He raged that it was impossible, that he wasn't meant to be a fugitive.

"Then... what about me?" Chenlian asked softly. But her tone was tinged with hurt and resentment. "Do you think I was meant to be a fugitive? And all those Earth Kingdom people who didn't ask anything, who just wanted to be left alone, in peace, and whose villages were burned down by the Fire Nation, do you think they were meant to be fugitives? No... No one is meant for that." Her voice had grown increasingly scathing. All this time, he had enjoyed a priviledged life... even in exile he had food, a ship, people to serve him, and his loving and caring uncle to support him. His uncle was still there, he was not alone, he was healthy... so crying, whining, giving up so easily... At this, Zuko looked down, contrite, aware that he had spoken out of line. The girl then smiled compassionately, encouragingly... a smile that said and made you believe from your heart that 'everything will be alright'. A comforting, protective, rich, vivid presence, an unwavering, immutable source of warmth... as long as she was here, everything would be alright... Chenlian was truly like the Sun... And Zuko could not help but feel irresistibly attracted to this sun. "When things happen out of your control you've got to adapt, even if it's difficult. And that's something everyone can do. We all experience setbacks. Our strength is defined by how well we cope with them. That's fortitude. Will you keep grumbling about what you lost and stay in the past? Or will you see all the good around you and walk forward? That's for you to decide. Just remember that your uncle is here, I am here. You're a sturdy and smart young man and you're not alone. Now cheer up and come! I found some good things!" She lightly slapped his muscular arm before hugging it and dragging him away. She had been a fugitive longer than he had been. She had experienced things, suffered, and she had adapted. And right now, she was happy that her experience served.

They returned to the clearing where Iroh was waiting. Chenlian put the fish she had caught in her basket full of ingredients and picked her stuff. Zuko looked at it unhappily. They had to rely on her... always... and he wanted to be the one to provide, to show that 'he could do it'. She said they were back.

"Hmm, welcome back. Zuko, remember that plant that I thought might be tea ?"

"You didn't!" The boy exclaimed in horror and disbelief.

"I did." Iroh turned around to reveal his red, swollen face which he was scratching. "And it wasn't." He calmly admitted. His nephew recoiled in revulsion, yelping, while the girl dropped her basket in shock. "When the rash spreads to my throat I will stop breathing."

"What plant was it?" Chenlian asked menacingly.

"White jade bush." The old man answered sheepishly.

"You confused it with white dragon bush, didn't you? I did warn you not to touch plants you weren't entirely sure of, right? Don't underestimate nature you damn amateurs, you'll be killed. Get away Zuko. I don't have a cure for that poison but if I purify him with fire I might be able to cure his stupidity and carelessness. And we eliminate all risk of contagion of that poison and that stupidity. At this rate, no matter how many lives we have, it won't be enough." Her anger was making her appear dead serious... she was heating up, soon flames would appear around her fists... to the point that Zuko caught her wrists and brought them behing her back while pulling her front to his and reminding her of her own words earlier... while Iroh, fearing for his life, hurriedly produced a branch full of red little fruits.

"But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade plant! That, or-"

"Those are macahoni berries that cause blindness!" She shot back, struggling to break free off the strong arms emprisonning her. This time it was Zuko who lost his patience, grabbed the branch and threw it away... while making sure to keep the girl away from his uncle... for their whole group's sake...

"We're not taking any more chances with these plants! Since Chenlian doesn't have the antidote, we need to get help." The boy asserted. His childhood friend sighed.

"I've seen a village not far. There should be a dispensary where they'll surely have the cure... but it's an Earth Kingdom facility. And we are considered enemies of the Earth Kingdom and fugitives from the Fire Nation. You decide what you want to do."

"If the Earth Kingdom, discovers us, they'll have us killed." The male teen mused.

"But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula." The old one argued. They nodded to each other in agreement. Earth Kingdom it was. They told Chenlian to lead them to that village.

Appa, Aang's and Chong's groups were walking along a wide street lined with ruins. Sokka, who was leading, asked how far they were from the tunnel. But Chong replied it was not just one tunnel. The lovers didn't want anyone to find out about their love, so they had built a whole labyrinth. The boy turned back and looked at him in sheer horror, his hands holding his head. Labyrinth? ! The untroubled fellow was sure they'd figure it out though... which wasn't reassuring as there didn't seem to be any ground to that confidence. They all started walking again. As claimed by Lily, all they needed to do was trust in love... according to the curse. At this, the Water Tribesman stopped dead, standing upright as if turned to stone. The others passed him. He cried in exasperation. A curse?!

They arrived at the end of a small canyon and looked at the moss covered entrance of a large tunnel in the cliff face. Five flying bisons could walk in a line or stand one above the other in this tunnel. Sokka asked about the curse and was told that only those who trusted in love could make it through the caves. Otherwise they'd be trapped in them forever... and die.  
He grew even more aggravated. There was no way they'd go through some cursed hole! But then, Moku saw a column of smoke rising towards the sky and cheerfully noted that was someone was making a big campfire. But Katara contradicted him somberly. That was no campfire. That was Fire Nation. They were tracking them. Aang looked over his shoulder at Chong with an uncertain expression.

"So all you need is to trust in love to get through these caves ?"

"That is correct, Master Arrowhead." The troupe's leader replied. The airbender turned to gaze at Katara, his eyes shining with adoration. He looked back Chong with a confident smile.

"We can make it."

"Everyone into the hole!" Sokka ordered. The group slowly made its way into the tunnel, Appa groaning in protest, but still following. And soon after, Fire Nation tanks stopped before the cavern entrance. The commander forbade his men from going in as it was too dangerous. They knew the song. They just had to close them in and the mountain would do the rest. The tanks fired their grappling hooks into the top of the tunnel and pulled down a large amount of rock, completely blocking the entrance. Inside, the group turned in horror as the cave entrance collapsed. Appa, on his hind legs, frantically tried to dig his way out of the trap. Chong had lit a torch.

"It's okay, Appa. We'll be fine." The waterbender tried to reassure the animal before adding less confidently "I hope." And her brother concurred with her. All they needed was a plan. A torch lasted about two hours and they had five. Lily scraped the four she had on the ground lighting them. So that made ten hours. Sokka stomped on them, extinguishing them. It wasn't going to work like that if they were all lit at the same time! Lily agreed, all spacy. The young man was going to make a map to keep track of exactly where they'd pass. Then they should be able to solve it like a maze and get through.

In the dispensary of a certain village, Iroh sitting on a table, naked from the waist up, was being attended by a pretty young woman. The sweet and gentle healer was applying ointment on his red rashes. Zuko and Chenlian were sitting on a bench behind her. A conical hat was obscuring his face as he looked toward the floor. He had also donned a brown tabard-like cloth.

"You three must not be from around here. We know better than to touch the white jade, much less make it into tea and drink it."

"Heh heh heh. Whoops!" The elder laughed sheepishly.

"So where are you traveling from ?"

"Yes, we're travelers." Zuko stood up and talked too quickly.

_Idiot, that's not what she asked! You're too nervous it's suspicious! _Chenlian glared at him.

"Do you have names ?"

"Names ... Of course we have names. I'm... Lee. And this is my uncle, uh... Mushi." The boy said hesistantly... and then sheepishly too. Chenlian held her head. He really didn't know how to lie. Iroh shot him a dark look.

"Yes, my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior." The old man repaid Zuko for his bad naming choice. Junior balled his fist and made a beheading gesture, obviously planning to pay his uncle back for that.

"And that-"

"I'm Meiling." Chenlian introduced herself before the guys could find any regrettable name her her. _Mei_ for plum blossoms, and _ling_ for spirit/soul. "I apologize for the trouble. I didn't keep a proper eye on him. It's all due to my carelessness. I should've given him a sterner warning. I'm sorry but while you're at it, could you also fix that tea-soaked brain of his?" She cruelly requested with a sweetly rueful tone and expression.

"My niece is just like a strict mother." Mushi laughed sheepishly. So her anger had not abated.

"So you two are siblings?" The healer questioned her and Lee.

"No, but something similar. We grew up together. And Mushi is acting as my gardian." Meiling replied.

"Meiling, Mushi and Junior, huh? My name is Song. You three look like you could use a good meal." She turned and slapped Iroh's hand away as he was scratching his rash. "Why don't you stay for dinner ?" She kindly suggested. But Zuko turned her down. They needed to be moving on. "That's too bad. My mom always makes too much roast duck." She looked up inocently. The old man instantly caught the bait and asked her where she lived. His nephew tried to protest again but his childhood friend elbowed him to silence him. They should save what she had gathered for when they'd really need it.

In the tunnel, Sokka was fooling around with a map. His sister complained that was the tenth dead end he had led them to. He was really puzzled. This didn't make any sense. They already come through this way. Chong pointed out they didn't need a map, just love. The little guy (Aang) knew it. Aang replied he wouldn't mind a map, also. But Sokka wasn't listening. He was looking around and studying the layout of the underground. There was something strange here, and only one explanation for that. The tunnels were changing. A low rumble through the tunnel startled everyone.

It was night. Zuko, Iroh, Chenlian and Song were sitting at a low asian styled table. The room was completely open on one side to the outside. Without a door or a wall, you simply had to walk down the stone step to be into the yard. Song's mother approached with a plate of roast duck.

"My daughter tells me you're refugees. We were once refugees ourselves." She said, seating herself. Song sadly told them that when she was little, the Fire Nation had raided their farming village and all the men were taken was the last time she had seen her father. At this, the young man lowered his gaze with a pained expression... and said he hadn't seen his father in many years. Chenlian paused a second. He was... missing his father too... of course. The nurse asked if he was fighting in the war. Iroh finished slurping a mouthful of noodles as he looked with some trepidation at his nephew to see how he was going to answer this dangerous question. Bowl in hand, the female warrior still hadn't moved. Zuko put down his food.

"Yeah." He answered simply. The elder woman asked Meiling about her father.

"My parents were both killed at the hands of the Fire Nation." The girl responded more drily than intended. The former prince looked away. That blow, although involuntary, had affected him. "And since I didn't have family who could take me in, Mushi's acting as my guardian."

Chong worriedly put the modifications of the tunnels on the curse and regretted having come down here. Sokka cynically commented. Right. If only they listened to that guy... he really was clueless about his own absurdity. Katara told everyone to be quite and listen. They heard noises. Momo jumped off Sokka's shoulder and flew off. They all stared intently. Suddenly, a wolf bat flew right at Sokka, knocking him over. It landed, snarled, and took off again. The young man tried to burn it with the torch, but failed. Worst, his hand slipped and the torch landed at Appa's toe, burning him. In pain and panicked due to the fire and closed space, the bison stampeded around the tunnel and bumped into the walls that cracked and dangerously weakened the whole structure... and causing a cave in. As the roof collapsed Aang sent a blast of air to get Chong, Sokka and the others out the falling debris' way. Then he turned and tackled Katara to the ground to protect her. When the dust settles, Aang, Katara and Appa were separated from Sokka and Chong's party.

Sokka ran to the obstruction and had begun to dig frantically when Chong calmly told him it was no use but that at least, he had them. However, this statement, made to reassure, only made him fall deeper and howl in despair. He started digging again and caused a mini cave in on his head.

Zuko was sitting cross legged on Song's porch. Song walked over and sat beside him, kindly asking if she could join him. She knew what he had been through. They had all been through it. The Fire Nation had hurt him. She reached out to touch his scar, but Zuko grabbed her hand without looking before she reached his face. It was then Chenlian came over after having finished helping clear the table.

"It's okay. They've hurt me, too." Song said as she raised the part of her dress covering her right leg to reveal a firebending scar. The former Fire Nation prince looked conscience-stricken.

"Then I guess that makes three of us with scars." Chenlian said, sitting over next to them and slightly parting the top of her clothes to show hers. And Zuko's eyes widened, even more shocked, appalled, horrified.

Sokka was leading the troupe with a deep scowl on his face while behind him, Chong was playing and singing cheerfully. Moku was playing too and the other members were dancing... and Chong's song was clearly meant to try and deride the boy... although it was having the opposite effect. Aang, Appa and Katara were walking through their own tunnel with Katara holding the torch. They arrived before a huge, round stone door, and, believing to have found the exit, were very excited. But of course, they unable to make it even budge with their strength. And they were no earthbenders. Appa grunted and started pawing the ground and snorting. The two humans stared at each other in alarm and quickly jumped away as the bison charged and forced the door open. They entered the dark chamber. It wasn't the exit, but a tomb. They were on a sort of balcony. They advanced to the railings and looked at the crypt. They climbed down the stairs leading to the sarcophagi at the center of the cavern and approached the dais on which the two coffins rested. They inferred that the two lovers from the legend were the ones buried here. Katara looked at the series of paintings and writing adorning the side of the dais. They were telling their story.

"They met on top of the mountain that divided their two villages. The villages were enemies so they could not be together. But their love was strong and they found a way. They built elaborate tunnels so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever in the labyrinth. But one day the man didn't come. He died in the war between their two villages. Devastated, the woman unleashed a terrible display of her earthbending power. She could have destroyed them all. But instead she declared the war over. Both villages helped her build a new city where they would live together in peace. The woman's name was Oma and the man's name was Shu. The great city was named Omashu as a monument to their love." The airbender and waterbender looked at a statue of the two lovers kissing, a plaque with writing between them. The girl read the inscription. "Love is brightest in the dark."

With Momo perched on his head, Sokka was again looking at his map as his plans had yet again led his group to another dead end. He defensively retorted that at least he was thinking of ideas and trying to get them out of here. Chong suddenly voiced the brilliant idea he'd had for an hour: if love was the key out of here, then all they needed to do was play a love song. The boy smacked his forehead again.

Aang was wondering how they were gonna find their way out of these tunnels when Katara mentioned that she had a crazy idea. As she was reluctant to say it since it was too crazy, her friend encouraged her. The girl turned away looking a little bashful. The airbender insisted.

"I was thinking… the curse says we'll be trapped in here forever unless we trust in love."

"Right..."

"And here it says 'love is brightest in the dark' and… has a picture of them kissing." She turned to face him, but doesn't yet dare meet his eyes.

"Where are you going with this ?" Aang questioned, still completely clueless.

"Well... what if we kissed ?" She asked shyly, finally looking up at him, blushing with a slightly dreamy, slightly hopeful expression. The monk froze for a second.

"Us kissing?" He said, surprised, and a little stiff.

"See? It was a crazy idea." The waterbender turned away.

"Us... kissing..." Aang repeated dreamily. But then, scared of rejection, Katara tried to laugh it off.

"Us kissing... What was I thinking? Can you imagine that ?"

"Yeah, heh, heh." The Avatar reacted the same way for the same reason. "I definitely wouldn't wanna kiss you!" He pointed at her for emphasis and a second later, his eyes bugged out as he realized he had gone too far.

"Oh, well I didn't realize it was such a horrible option. Sorry I suggested it!" She stormed, clearly offended.

"No, no, I mean... if there was a choice between kissing you and dying... What I'm saying is I'd rather kiss you than die." He clasped his hands together in a gesture of appeasement. "That's a compliment." He kept digging his own grave, not even getting the kind of love-killing comments he was making. Further insulted, the girl turned away with a noise of indignation.

"Well, I'm not sure which I would rather do!" She yelled and gave the torch to him before stalking off. The Avatar dejectedly wondered what was wrong with him.

Zuko, Chenlian and Iroh were standing in the courtyard of Song's house, about to leave. Fireflies were buzzing lazily around them. Iroh and Chenlian graciously thanked Song and her mother for the duck. It was excellent. The old woman handed them a package of leftover food. She was glad to see someone eat her cooking with such... gusto. She looked at Iroh who patted his full stomach.

"Much practice." He grinned. Zuko turned to leave, but 'Mushi' stopped him. "Junior, where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people." He chided his nephew. Junior turned and offered a small bow with a quiet and somewhat apathetic 'thank you' before walking away again.

"Lee!" Meiling whispered his name warningly as she caught his wrist. He really was being too rude.

"I know you don't think there's any hope left in the world, but there is hope. The Avatar has returned!" Song said quickly.

"I know." Zuko quietly but intensely answered after a time. He then twisted his arm, making Chenlian let go and grabbing her wrist instead. The girl winced almost imperceptibly. His grip was so tight it was hurting. He dragged her outside. Iroh followed them. But then, the young man stopped as he saw a tethered ostrich-horse. It was one of those unusually large and powerful beasts. This one seemed like it could carry the three of them. He looked at the animal, at the house, back at the animal, let go of Chenlian, released the beast, and began to lead it away with them. His two companions were appalled. These people had just showed him great kindness. How dared he do that to them? "They're about to show us a little more kindness. Well...?" He offered his hand to his uncle who looked down, horribly unhappy... but who nonetheless accepted his hand. "Chenlian?" He looked at his childhood friend. She glared at him but her expression was a pleading one. Then she looked down, giving in too.

Having that animal could indeed make their life considerably easier. And although she felt indescribably guilty about it, right now, her priority was still Zuko. However, she couldn't just let things go like this. She buried something where the animal had been before mounting it. They rode away. From the front door, Song looked at them leaving. Obviously crushed, she hung her head and closed the door.

"What did you do that for?" Zuko crossly interrogated Chenlian after a time. He had placed her before him, between his arms, her back against his chest.

"I'd rather give away one of my precious heirloom than steal from people like them." She answered simply but firmly... and also warningly. She had refrained from stopping him because indeed, their situation would be easier with that animal. And right now, her priority was Zuko and his well-being. However, all this time, her life and her principles were the only two things she had somehow been able to cling to when everything else was crumbling away. Those were the surest things she possessed. Without them, she would lose herself, she would be nothing. And in this world where everything was so uncertain, there were also the only things on which she would not budge. Even if she could not stop him, he could not stop her either. To avoid another fight and cause a racket, he changed the subject.

"Then let me ask you, where did you get that scar? I've never heard about it." He still sounded irritated... like he had been vividly accused by that scar 'you don't know anything'.

"You don't need to be surprised or irritated. The world is at war. There isn't a single person without scars, whether on their body or on their heart, or both. Because I care, I wanted to know more about you, that's why I know it was your father who gave you this scar and why he did it. And the reason why you don't know about me is because you've never bothered to inquire about my condition, my feelings, or what all those years had been like for me, right? Since all you've thought about was yourself, and your home. You probably assumed that since I was strong, I couldn't be hurt or feel pain, didn't you? You assume you know and never try to second-guess anything. Pretending to care now is-"

"Don't change the subject! I'm asking you now! And how do you know it was my father who gave me this scar?!" The young man barked as the conversation was going in a direction he didn't like.

"I've changed it because I didn't want to answer now. I'll tell you another time."

"When? You've already said you'd tell me."

"When I'll be sure you can properly listen to me and not fly in a rage and simply deny everything without thinking. And that isn't now. Certainly, it's a truth you need to know, but something you don't want to hear."

Aang and Katara were wandering through the tunnels with Appa. He gloomily remarked they were gonna run out of light any second now. She agreed, sounding tired.

"Then what are we gonna do ?" The boy asked.

"What **can** we do? " The girl asked back. She turned to him and walked closer. After a moment, she put her hand on his, so they were both holding the dwindling torch. He smiled at her... her beautiful face, her serious eyes... As the light faded out, they leant in to each other, closing their eyes. Then there was darkness. And then the gems prickling the ceiling that couldn't be seen before started to glow, lighting a way.

Chong was still strumming his guitar but he stopped when ominous sounds started echoing through the darkness. Sokka stopped rubbing his head in frustration. They looked behind them, and all of a sudden, saw a huge pack of wolf-bats speed towards them. They flew over them and the Water tribesman flailed about frantically. The animals completely ignored the humans though and continued down the tunnel. They were gone in an instant. Chong was sure Sokka had saved them but he contradicted him. They were trying to get away from something. Behind them the rocks exploded and the tunnel around them shook and a badger mole appeared from the dust to everyone's surprise. Behind them another explosion revealed another badger mole. They were surrounded. Through earthbending, the animals closed all the tunnel entrances and separated Sokka from the others. The creature in front of him stomped the ground and knocked him backwards onto the ground. As Sokka inched backwards away from the advancing badger mole, his fingers accidentally strummed one of Chong's guitars discarded on the ground in the shuffle. The beast stopped and tilted its head, puzzled. The boy looked up, expecting to get killed, before realizing what was going on. He stood up with the guitar and started playing. Chong stood up too, remarking with joy that those 'things' were music lovers.

"Badger moles, coming toward me. Come on guys, help me out." Sokka sang, although the notes didn't go well with the instrument's notes. The whole troupe stood and played and sang about 'the big bad badger moles who work in the tunnels, hate the wolf bats but love the sounds.'

Aang, who was looking at the glowing gems, inferred they must be made of some kind of crystals that only lit up in the dark. The fingers of his right hand were laced with Katara's. She was sure that was how the two lovers found each other. They just put out their lights and followed the crystals. That must be the way out! They hugged. The boy started stuttering uncertainly but she interrupted him with an excited 'Let's go!' and darted away. He stared for a time before smiling goodheartedly and following with Appa close behind. Appa emerged out of the mountain at a gallop, stopped, reared up and flopped on his back, clearly happy to be outside once again. The two humans joined him but just as they were wondering about Sokka, two holes were blown open next to the tunnel exit from where the badger moles came out. Sokka and Momo were riding atop one and the troupe was on the other. Katara, shielding her face from the flying debris, looked up and recognized her brother. She cried his name happily. Sokka slid down the side of the animal, ran over to his younger sibling and asked how they had gotten out.

"Just like the legend says: we let love lead the way." Aang answered with a somewhat mysterious and content expression.

"Really ? We let huge ferocious beasts lead our way." The young man replied cheerfully. He turned and waved goodbye to the badger moles. Cut to a wide, overhead shot as everyone waves the badger moles goodbye. They turned and enter the two holes they had created, closing them up with their earthbending after their passage. Momo landed in front of Appa and began to chitter excitedly, punctuating his tale with gestured while Appa would occasionally grunt in response. The Water Tribe siblings were hugging each other. When they pulled away, Katara questioned her brother as to why his forehead was all red. It was then that Chong leant in.

"Nobody react to what I'm about to tell you. I think that kid might be the Avatar." He whispered conspiratorially in such a dead serious manner. Sokka smacked his forehead again, appalled at such slowness, answering his sister's question. Aang asked the troupe if they were going to come with them to Omashu but he was turned down. The child thanked them for everything. Chong placed his flower necklace around Sokka's neck and hugged him, hoping he had learned a little something about not letting the plans get in the way of the journey.

"Just play your songs." The young warrior sullenly shot back despite the blush coloring his cheeks. Even though they were so annoying, they somehow grew on you, and you couldn't help it. The man released him.

"Hey, good plan!" The troupe leader praised his wonderful suggestion and started singing. "Even if you're lost you can't lose the love because it's in your heart. Ooooohhhh..."

At these words, Aang gazed sideways at Katara who looked down and blushed.

The three youths and two animals were walking up a rocky mountain. Hours had passed, but it was still daytime.

"The journey was long and annoying, but now you get to see what it's really about – the destination." Sokka declared as they arrived on top. He gestured before them. "I present to you the Earth Kingdom city of O..." But he suddenly stopped himself as he looked with horror and realization at the scene in front of them. "Oh, no..." In front of them... lied the devastated fortress city of Omashu, surrounded by siege towers. The city was smoking. And above the main gate, the Earth Kingdom flag had been replaced by the Fire Nation flag. Omashu had fallen to the Fire Nation.


	27. Answered call

**Fight ****27: Answered call**

Aang, Sokka and Katara looked on, horrified, at the fallen city of Omashu. They couldn't believe the war had spread this far. Omashu was such a great city, it had always seemed...untouchable. Now Ba Sing Se was the only great Earth Kingdom stronghold left. Katara said they needed to move on but Aang refused, declaring he was going to find Bumi.  
Sokka was against it. They didn't even know if he was still... around... The girl noted there were other people aside from Bumi who could teach earthbending. However, the Avatar didn't want to find a teacher, he wanted to find his friend.

Appa flew down the abyssal moat to a ledge at the base of the city side of the moat. There was a secret passage... or a drain pipe depending on the point of view. Aang forced it open and a huge blob of slimy greenish sewage gushed out, explaining why they hadn't used that passage last time. They walked up the sewer pipe. It was fine for Aang and Katara who could bend the sludge out of their way but not for Sokka who was slowly covered in sewage from the monk's receding wake... much to his disgust.

It was night when the trio (and Momo) came out of a manhole into an empty street. Katara remarked it hadn't been as bad as she had thought. But then, a green blob monster emerged from the manhole! Katara bended the water from a nearby barrel at it, washing the gunk away and revealing her brother. Aang whipped a gale at him to blow him dry. Sokka screamed when he noticed the three uninvited guests that had hitched a ride on either side of his head. He grabbed them pulled as much as he could but the cute little octopus-like creatures wouldn't let go. The airbender pounced on Sokka, pinning him to the nearby wall, then releasing him, and telling him to stop making so much noise. It was just a purple pentapus. The warrior was still terrified as the animals squeaked and palpitated. Aang gripped the nearest pentapus and rubbed its head with his finger. It grinned and raised its tentacles, coming off without further fuss. Sokka rubbed his free cheek, and repeated the process with the other. The suckers on the tentacles had left little round red dots all over Sokka's cheeks. Katara was removing the third one when they were interrupted by a Fire Nation guard on patrol.

The siblings closed ranks to obscure the Avatar for a moment. Aang quickly folded an orange cloth on his head to hide his airbender tattoo. The soldiers asked the kids what they were doing out past curfew. The girl replied they were just on their way home. The children walked away. But then the guard spotted the red welts on the back of Sokka's neck.

"Wait! What's the matter with him?" He questioned with an apprehensive edge. As quick-witted as always, the waterbender told them he had pentapox. She then stopped the man he moved to touch her brother, warning him it was highly contagious with an oh so earnest expression. He hesitated, and pulled his hand back. Sokka realized the ploy and began to act ill, moaning and lurching forwards. The soldiers recoiled to avoid contact. Katara added it was deadly. She was comforted by a Fire Nation man.

"Wait, I think I've heard of pentapox. Didn't your cousin Chang die of it?" He turned to one of his comrades. Sokka advanced, coughing and spitting up at them. "We'd better go wash our hands...and burn our clothes!" And the three guards ran for it. The warrior dropped the act and Aang thanked his tiny purple sewer friend.

Azula's ship was decked at a beach which was filled with tents and populated with people from her royal procession. But the princess herself was sitting within her litter which rested atop the dais on the deck of her ship. She was flanked on either side by her crone teachers. The three of them had come to the same conclusion. When tracking Iroh, Zuko, and Chenlian, traveling with a royal procession was no longer an option if she wanted to keep the element of surprise. The royal procession was dead weight. In order to catch her prey, she must be agile...nimble. She needed a small, elite team. It was time to visit some old friends.

Somewhere in Omashu, the teens hid behind some construction material as a patrol passed. Bumi had to be kept in a place where he couldn't earthbend, a place made of metal.

"There really is no fathoming the depths of my hatred for this place." An expressionless young woman with a large quantity of well coifed black hair light brown eyes complained.

"Mai, your father was appointed governor. We're like royalty here. Be happy, and enjoy it." Her mother replied, carrying a toddler in her arms. They were escorted by four guards, two in front of them and two behind them. They walked, unaware that they were being targeted by earthbenders. Mai was still complaining about just how unbearably bleak this place was, even compared to her already boring life in the Fire Nation. Nothing ever happened. The Earth Kingdom soldier launched rocks that tumbled down into the channel at high speed. Aang looked in horror at what was apparently falling debris, then over at the party of people passing on the level below who would soon be crushed, and pulverized the rocks into pebbles and dust with a blast of air. Alerted, the Fire Nation people looked up and mistook Aang and the other for the resistance. Mai smiled slightly and released a hail of small arrows from her sleeves. The airbender dodged and he and his friends ran away, pursued by soldiers who climbed up the ladders. Katara knocked them back down with a water ship but the young noblewoman had also come after them, and released another hail of arrows that embedded themselves in the waterbender's ice wall.

The chase continued and Aang caused the scaffolds to collapse between them. She threw a twin-bladed knife like a shuriken through the falling debris. It ricocheted and stabbed Aang's twirling staff. Once the dust cleared she attacked again but the teens disappeared through a large stone trap door which closed instantly above them. Mai sighed dejectedly and walked away. She had lost them. The children had fallen into a tunnel. They rubbed their painful heads and looked up. They were surrounded by resistance fighters.

Iroh, Chenlian and Zuko were sitting on a straw mat in the street of a certain village. Their ostrich-horse was lying behind them. The old man was begging for money, holding his conical hat down. He had already received well over a dozen copper pieces. Chenlian still had money left but now they were three and she preferred saving. People were always eager to help the Avatar but things were different with her current group. A cart passed with theatre and festival masks. And then a man who dropped a coin in the hat when Iroh begged him to spare a coin for weary travellers.

"This is humiliating! We're royalty. These people should be giving us whatever we want." Zuko ranted. Clearly, he still hadn't adapted to the change. His uncle replied they would give them whatever they wanted if they asked nicely.

"But is it really alright to believe someone should be worshipped simply by virtue of blood...?" The girl questioned. "For royalty and nobility as long as one was born into the right family, no matter how cruel, tyrannical or stupid, anyone could have a shot at ruling. It's always the lower classes who suffered. Respect, just like trust, is something that should be earned. Only this way could true loyalty be born. You should follow a person because you want to, because you believe he's worth it. Being recognized only for our ancestry and not who we are, what we accomplished... what's the good in that?" She mused, her head down, her voice soft and sad yet firm. The two males kept silent, Iroh because he agreed, and Zuko because as usual she had brough up a matter he would have rather ignored. Although she made sense and he felt drawn by her assurance and convictions, her beliefs still completely overturned a tradition, an heritage, an unwritten law that was deeply ingrained in him, and that was not something he could accept so easily. Next, the retired general sollicited a pretty and well dressed young woman.

"Spare change for a hungry old man ." He pleaded in a weak voice. The appeal worked, and, touched, she gave him money. "The coin is appreciated, but not as much as your smile." He smartly thanked. Well, he was a smooth old (gentle)man who knew how to treat ladies. Chenlian smiled. Zuko slapped his forehead at his uncle's improper behavior... for a former crown prince to curry favors with women... and the difference in age too, it was unsightly. But nonetheless, the young woman appreciated the compliment and giggled as she walked away. Then, from the opposite direction came a man carrying broadswoards.

"How about some entertainment in exchange for... a gold piece?" He addressed them with a cruel smile while showing the gold piece. Zuko petulantly replied they were not performers. "Then... how about three gold pieces... in exchange for your pretty companion..." He caught Chenlian by the arm and pulled her up. The other teen bolted on his feet and snatched her back, making sure to put her behind him.

"She's not for sale or rent!" Zuko menaced the man, blazing, but before it got ugly, Iroh intervened. They were not professional but he nonetheless started singing. However, the mean passerby wasn't happy. He might have had to relinquish the bigger prize but he was still talking about a gold piece, and it deserved some action. Once more, the scarred teen burned with anger. Not only was that disgusting man treating Chenlian like an object but he was also pointing a sword at his uncle! The cruel one ordered Iroh to dance and began to swing his swords at the elder's legs who hopped up and down to avoid the blows while continuing his song. Zuko gritted his teeth and tightly gripped Chenlian's shoulders, to whom he had turned while still looking at his uncle. The girl squeezed his arms, as much to control him as to control herself. To indulge that trash just to get a single coin... The sadistic almsgiver laughed before tossing the coin. Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner... huh? The man walked away.

"Such a kind man!" Iroh smiled, sitting back down. The young woman looked at her childhood friend's face, seeped with rage and humiliation. It couldn't go on like this. She had to do something. She sighed and told them to wait here. She was going to change their situation.

"Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?" Azula asked the pretty, bright eyed girl with a long brown braid, dressed in pink and red who was performing a head stand on her index fingers.

"Azula!" Ty Lee smiled widely, broke her head stand with a couple graceful moves, prostrated herself on the ground, then ran to give the princess a bear hug. Azula returned it with a smile. "It is so good to see you!"

"Please, don't let me interrupt your..." Azula raised an eyebrow, searching for the right word and failing. "...whatever it is you were doing." And taking her word for it, Ty Lee, with her incredible grace and flexibility, flipped over backwards to lie on her chest, her feet arched over in front of her head. "Tell me, what is the daughter of a nobleman doing here? Certainly our parents didn't send us to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls to end up in..." The Fire Nation princess looked over at the straining platypus bear and the men trying to force it to walk. "...places like this." She finished with a notable edge of contempt as the platypus bears laid an egg and got up, groaning. "I have a proposition for you. I'm hunting a traitor. You remember my old fuddy duddy uncle, don't you?"

"Oh yeah. He was so funny."

"I would be honored if you would join me on my mission."

"Oh...I...uh...would love to..." She sprang back to her feet in a single, fluid motion. "But the truth is, I'm really happy here. I mean, my aura has never been pinker!"

"I...'ll take your word for it. Well, I wouldn't want you to give up the life you love just to please me." The princess said, apparently accepting her friend's decision with just a hint of reluctance and sarcasm. The acrobat thanked her, bowing slightly and clasping her right fist in her left hand. Azula walked away as Ty Lee turned and started stretching her legs impressively. "Of course, before I leave, I'm going to catch your show."

"Uh...yeah...sure...uh...of course..." The circus girl stammered after an initial moment of panic. And she was still very worried. She knew Azula's way of doing things, the complete lack of scruples she displayed when she wanted something, her cruelty and oppressive manners even when dealing with people she considered 'close', how she controlled people through fear... The only one Azula had never been able to control was Chenlian, because Chenlian had never showed her fear or weaknesses, and even when Azula thought she had grasped something, it was instantly discarded like a lizard's tail. And Chenlian also possessed the strength and shrewdness to get out of most dangerous situations. She would always look forward, never behind. No, if there was only one person Chenlian would turn to, then it would be...

In an underground cavern under Omashu filled with Earth Kingdom resistance fighters and civilians, Aang asked the commander if King Bumi was with them and leading the resistance. But with contained resentment and anger, the leader replied that the day of the invasion, even though they had readied themselves for battle, prepared to defend their city...to fight for their lives and for their freedom, King Bumi had decided to do... nothing! He had surrendered! Fighting the Fire Nation was the only path to freedom. And freedom was worth dying for. However, the Avatar disagreed. There was another path. They could leave Omashu. They were directing all their energy to fight the Fire Nation but outnumbered as they were, they couldn't win. Now was the time to retreat, so they'd live to fight another day. The chief insisted. In order to reclaim their home, they had to fight at ANY cost! Yet, in spite of all his zeal and militancy, the majority sided with the Avatar, and he was forced to fold. There was still one problem though: how to evacuate thousands of citizens? Sokka smiled smugly. He had a brilliant idea. Everyone was going to come down with a nasty case of pentapox!

The next day, everyone applied pentapi on their exposed skin and removed them. Now, thanks to those marks, they all looked sick but they had to ACT sick too, or nobody would buy it. A bent old man walked between Sokka and the crowd, groaning pathetically and holding a hand to his allegedly aching back.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about." The Water tribesman put an arm around a citizen next to him.

"Years of practice." The elderly looked back at him, tapped his wooden leg with his cane and smiled. Sokka ordered everyone into sick formation. The citizens and Sokka moved out and Katara was going to join when she saw Aang heading in a different direction. He told her he wasn't going to leave until he found Bumi. Momo, hungry, grabbed Aang's mouth but the boy picked him and dropped him. The lemur would have to wait.

Chenlian arrived at the music instruments shop. There, a familiar scene took place. She took a pipa and admired it. The manager praised her connoisseurship and let her try it. She sat on a bench between willow trees at the river shore before the shop and started playing the lively White Snow in the Spring Sunlight. Soon, people stopped to listen and a crowd gathered. When she was finished, there was much applause. The shop owner was astonished. And to honor her skills, he decided to give her a special discount. Only five pieces of silver the pipa! And again, the girl stood up and flatly refused. She didn't have that much money that she could spend it on something nonessential. But still... she'd accept it for one piece of silver! She was looking as sweet as honey but nonetheless, the merchant gasped. How cruel of her! They were interrupted by a light chuckle. They turned to see a young man against a tree. Chenlian had rarely seen such a handsome man. He had long and glossy light golden brown hair down to his chest, deep green eyes full of light and mischief and was well dressed in golden green tones. Without being overly decorated or such, each piece was of perfect finish and quality. While clearly wealthy, he seemed to be a man of taste and lover of beauty and finesse... in all senses of the term. He approached.

"Sorry for interrupting your conversation. You want that pipa, right? If you play for me five pieces that I request, then I'll buy it for you." He offered. Not only was his appearance and aura so alluring and magnetic but his voice was deep and seductive too. And from what Chenlian could judge, it was completely natural. She inquired about his selection. There were only difficult pieces. "So you can't play them?"

"Normally I'd request more for those pieces but fine. Just don't forget your promise." The girl smirked at the challenge... And so, after a time, the two were walking together down a street, Chenlian holding her pipa in her arms with a satisfied grin. The man praised her outstanding performance. She thanked him.

"The songs were wonderful too of course, but in the end, you haggled to buy the pipa for two coins and put the remaining three in your purse."

"You promised me five pieces of silver, so I won't give the rest back...uhm..."

"Senya Qi. Call me Senya. And you?"

"Meiling... And those two are my travelling companions." She ran to join Iroh and Zuko who appeared to be argueing. Zuko instantly and vehemently reproached her for having been away for too long. He had been about to go look for her. She apologised. He asked who was with her and she introduced Senya.

"What a reprimand. He must have been really worried about you for him to be so angry and overprotective..."

"Well, we're like family."

"Eeh?" Senya stared at the other boy with a strange smile playing on his lips, earning himself a glare. Then he turned to Meiling and took one of her hands. "If you need money, I'll be glad to offer you work." He smiled invitingly. The girl's face lit up at this unexpected opportunity but before she could ask what kind of job it was, she was silenced by Zuko who harshly turned down the proposition, saying they didn't need help from him and they'd manage on their own. But although he didn't mention any of it, it was clear (to the men) that he feared the work was something bad. Not only that but that Senya was very suspicious and dangerous in a lot of ways and just plain annoying and it would be best not to get involved with him any further than that! And watching that scene, Iroh was doing his best to contain his snicker. Angry, yet his voice no louder than a mutter, Zuko asked his uncle what was so funny.

"It's just... even though you would be like her brother... you have the eyes of a jealous lover..." The old man sniggered again. The young one looked stunned for a moment before he turned completely red, retorting it was just his imagination. The senior apologised, blaming his senility, although he didn't look the least bit sorry and was all too clearly humoring his nephew who glowered at him. Senya sighed, apparently giving up.

"That's too bad, you could earn a lot. You're the only one who can produce a sound so pleasing to my ears." He lamented, completely ignoring the other young man before placing his hands on Chenlian's shoulders and slightly but firmly pulling her to him while leaning in. "If you still decide to come, ask for me at the Merchants' Guild. You will always be warmly welcomed." He whispered to her ear, their cheeks brushing. He let her go. "Well, I'll take my leave. Cherish that pipa and think of me when you play." He waved, and left, wishing them the best of luck.

Moaning and groaning, mobs of sick-looking Omashu citizens, lead by the Water Tribe siblings, approached the terrified Fire Soldiers. One screamed 'Plague! Plague!', and another banged the alarm. Overlooking the city from one of the balconies of his mansion, the governor asked going on down there. A guard inferred that the pentapox must have spread from the kids he had seen the previous day. The governor was sure he had heard of this sickness. His wife lamented. This was terrible. She was still holding her baby. The admistrator ordered that those people were driven out of the city. But they must not be touched! Mai uncaringly offered her father fire flakes she was snacking on from the bowl she was carrying. The wife put the toddler down and hugged her husband. But while she was looking fearfully at those sick people, she missed her baby toddling away...

Aang found Flopsie chained to a millstone and pushing the turnstile that drove the mill, performing this backbreaking work alone. The boy joined the large pet and outstretched his hands to receive a hug. Flopsie bounced to tackle him in a hug but was restrained by the chain. Aang froze the chain and broke it with his staff, freeing the animal that lunged forward, scooped him up in a hug and licked him. The climbed on top of Flopsie saying it gotta help him find Bumi. He tried 'yip yip' but it didn't work after all. When he said 'Let's go!' they darted into the streets of Omashu.

Momo flew through a window into the Governor's baby son's room. It was filled with toys but what interested the lemur was a platter of berries on a nearby table. He started binging on the berries and spitting the seeds over the art panels. The baby stopped playing with the teddy bear when he noticed the seeds. He crawled until he was underneath the table Momo was sitting on... and grabbed the lemur's tail, which was hanging over the side of the table. Dragging the child behind him, Momo tried to escape. The toddler let go and Momo ran out onto the railing of the balcony but was followed by the little one who lunged and missed. The baby slid down the tiles of the roof beneath them and landed in a box of berries traveling down one of Omashu's many chutes. Momo landed on the box of berries and started eating again, only to have the child emerge from the berries behind him. The animal looked over in horror at the little human who grabbed his tail again before he could react. The lemur flew off with the baby but the weight was too much and they're both dragged on the floor of a nearby plaza, the toddler landing on top of Momo, squishing him. A host of moaning Omashu citizens passed them by. Momo managed to get up and run after them but again the baby followed the animal... out of the city.

It was night when the circus started its show. Azula (and her two guards) were the only spectators and of course she got the VIP seat. The master conveyed the deep honor this humble circus felt at having been graced with the presence of the Fire Lord's daughter and asked her to tell him if there was anything they could do to make the show more enjoyable.

"I will." The princess replied assuredly. Far above the safety net, Ty Lee wearing colorful clothing and a golden tiara-like head piece was doing a head stand using one hand holding a short stick. This stick in turn was balanced on top of what looked like the frame of a small tent. Incredibly, this tent frame was balanced on the two extremities of an hourglass shaped object. That 'hourglass' was balanced on the high wire by its narrow middle. Ty Lee changed her hand. "Incredible. Do you think she'll fall?" Azula praised. Then since as the Master said, there was no way Ty Lee would fall, she thought of removing the net to make things more interesting. The man stammered. He was concerned about the performers. She didn't let him finish, more like she wasn't listening at all. "You're right, you're right. That's been done." She said, although it was more like she was talking to herself. "I know. Set the net on fire." She ordered. The circus leader reluctantly obeyed. Ty Lee worriedly stared at the flames, sweat beading on her face. The chief had no choice but to ball his fists in frustration. "Brilliant, just brilliant!" Then she asked what kind of dangerous animals they had and ordered the master to release them all. The noises of wild rampaging animals echoed into the night. The circus chief could not defy Azula, and neither could Ty Lee. If she did not immediately obtain what she wanted, that person, barely bothering to keep up appearances, would use her power to gradually make people's situation unbearable until they agreed to her demands.

After the meeting with Senya, Chenlian and Zuko had a fight. She wanted to work and earn money and believed she should take on that offer. It would save them time. But he accused her of having fallen for the looks and smooth tongue of that shallow playboy and forbid her to see him again. He even wanted to throw that pipa! And he didn't want her to perform in eateries either and make a show of herself. First being nearly kidnapped and then being tricked... What was she thinking? She had too little awareness of danger! Of course, that implied that she was being frivolous too and she strongly voiced her dislike for such assumptions. But that wasn't what truly enraged her... She had spent over a year on the run, without anyone to rely on, how did he think she had fared then?! She didn't need a sheltered brat who had never known hunger or danger until then to rattle on and on like this and tell her what to do! She could handle and protect herself just fine without him! And he said he wouldn't ler her work for particulars or shops but that didn't solve their problem at all! Before being picky he should take a look at reality and be more practical! And of course, he was just being too proud to apologise and admit that he simply cared about her too much to allow men to even look at her in a bad way, and that he wanted to do something for her. He was just being protective (and overly possessive) because she was so important to him. He didn't want her to bear the whole burden. Anyway, he had refused to cave in and declared he would do something, and she had accepted the 'challenge'.

That was why he was here, in this moonlit night, dressed in his Blue Spirit attire, hunting his prey: the man with the twin swords who had gripped Chenlian and threatened his uncle. Alone in a deserted street, the man felt his presence and unsheathed his swords, asking who was there. But before he could do anything, someone caught his arm, twisted it, and sent him crashing against boxes. Before passing out, he saw the person picking his dual dao swords. He was wearing the mask of the Blue Spirit.

Aang and Flopsie arrived at the camp recently formed by the Omashu refugees. They hadn't been able to find Bumi. Katara hugged Aang, and Flopsie, just as dejected and in need of comfort, was hugged by Sokka. The Resistance leader arrived and told them they had a problem with the head. They had an extra. They stared as once more the toddler had captured poor Momo and was laughing and firmly attached around his neck. The lemur was dragging him around as he tried to escape the grip.

In the governor's mansion, Mai (who didn't look unduly worried about her lost brother) handed her sobbing mother a handkerchief. Her father was assuming that the resistance had kidnapped his son and was finding everything so clever, so tricky... Just like their King Bumi. The guard asked what he wanted to do.

Azula dumped a bouquet of black flowers on Ty Lee's dressing table and complimented her for her exquisite performance. She couldn't wait to see how she'd top herself the next day. The acrobat apologized for there would be no show the next day. The universe had given her strong hints that it was time for a career change. She wanted to join Azula on her mission. The princess smiled satisfyingly.

As Momo was again 'babysitting' the toddler, the latter stumbled upon Sokka's club and picked it up to suck on it. Sokka snatched it away. That thing was dangerous, it was a weapon. And he scolded the "bad Fire Nation baby" who began to cry. Katara looked at her brother crossly, whacked him across the face and placed her hands on her hips. He gave in and handed the club back to the child who stopped crying and played with it. Since he looked so cute, the girl hugged him and doted on him much to the resistance leader's displeasure. He might be cute now but when he's older he'll join the Fire Nation army and be a killer. Katara picked the little one and showed him to the old man. Was that the face of a killer? But before they could further argue, a messenger hawk landed next to them. It came from the governor. He wanted to trade his son for King Bumi.

Carrying the baby in his arms, Aang was going down the mountain, accompanied by Momo and the Water Tribe sibling. They had decided to go along with this trade. Sokka was still wary of the possibility of a trap but not the airbender who had a good feeling about this. Surely, the governor wanted his son back as much as they wanted Bumi back.

In the city, Mai greeted Azula and Ty Lee. They greeted each other with warm hugs, although Mai was surprised by Ty Lee's presence. She thought she had joined a circus since it seemed to have been her calling. The gymnast replied with a smile that Azula had called a little louder. The princess said she needed them both for her mission and Mai absolutely wanted to be in. Anything to get out of this place.

And soon, Azula was in the governor's chair while Mai's parents were kneeling on pillows before her. They apologized. She had come at a difficult time. At noon they'd be making a trade with the resistance to get Tom-Tom back. The Fire Lord's daughter pretended to be sorry about their but really, what did they expect by just letting all the citizens leave? Her father had trusted them with this city and they were making a mess of things! The Governor prostrated himself and begged her forgiveness. The young woman walked up to him and commanded him to stay here. Mai would handle the hostage trade so he wouldn't have a chance to mess it up. Also, 'Omashu' was no more. She was renaming it in honor of her father. This was the city of New Ozai.

Chenlian was picking herbs when she glimpsed movement from the corner of her eye. She almost gasped when she saw the Blue Spirit carrying huge baskets of food. Zuko took off his mask he hid at the bottom of a tree. What more... swords he didn't have yesterday were now strapped across his back. He didn't have the money to pay for this much food and the swords... He hadn't spotted her. He threw the baskets before his uncle. They had found refuge in a cave they had arranged as best as they could to make it more comfortable and suitable for living.

"Where did you get these?" The old man asked with a suspicious look.

"It doesn't matter where they come from." Zuko replied crossly. Chenlian joined Iroh and they watched the teen walk away with a disapproving expression. They weren't stupid. After putting her harvest away she excused herself with a smile and left. Without their knowing she went to town, and indeed, before long, she heard a rumor about a couple having been robbed. Their food had been taken. And a noble had had his gold stolen. The thief wielded dual dao sword and his face was covered by a blue and white spirit mask. The girl clenched his fist. So that was his answer...

On a platform, at the bottom of a huge statue under construction (and surrounded by scaffolds), Aang's group was waiting firmly for the governor's emissaries. Azula, Mai and Ty Lee arrived from the opposite end with Mai leading. A crane lowered a metal coffin suspended by a chain. It had an opening for the face. Inside, King Bumi was laughing and snorting. He cheerfully greeted everyone. The coffin landed behind the Fire Nation girls. Since Aang had also brought the baby who was in Sokka's arms, they were ready for the trade. However, Azula had of course another idea. They were trading a two year old for a king... A powerful, earthbending king? She turned to Bumi for confirmation, Bumi who nodded eagerly with a grin on his face. This just didn't seem like a fair trade...

Mai looked for a moment at her brother before agreeing with the princess. She walked forward and called the deal off. Bumi was lifted back up. Aang cried his named and rushed forwards. Azula bent a plume of blue fire at knee level towards the boy, who jumped high into the air to avoid it. Azula looked on, shocked. This was not a jump anybody could do, especially not a jump as light as this... He landed on the scaffolds and jumped off again. He opened his glider in mid air, but lost his hat, exposing his tattoo. He grabbed the cloth with his mouth before it flew away, but it was too late, the Fire Lord's daughter had recognized him and was rejoicing. What a stroke of luck. She released the break of the winch with a blast of blue fire, grabbed one of the chains that rapidly carried her to the top. Aang landed on the coffing and blew on the chain to freeze it. Mai and Ty Lee charged Katara and Sokka who ran away. They had to get baby out of here since those girls didn't seem to mind involving him in a battle and risking him being injured... or even killed... The young man, and then the toddler blew on the bison whistle. But suddenly, a fist punched Sokka's foot as he passed from a hole in the floor. He fell on his back and slid to the edge. He had protected his fragile and precious load. Ty Lee vaulted out of the hole and went after him. With her water whip, Katara raised up wood planks she had had broken from the floor to block the blades that Mai had just thrown at her. She threw the wood at the knives user then turned and caught Ty Lee's ankle with it, tripping her and making her fall into a hole while her brother climbed down a ladder and ran off with the baby.

Azula broke through the top of the scaffolds, jumping high into the air thanks to the momentum of the rise. She blasted fire at Aang who managed to deflect it but the chain broke and the coffin dropped down onto one of the chutes and started rocketing down with Aang surfing on top. Azula jumped onto a transport bin and slid down after them. The boy laughed saying it was just like the old times but certainly back then they didn't have the child of the Fire Lord after them. Bumi tried to talk to him as he had attempted several times but he didn't hear anything. The princess shot at them from the chute about them on their left but the airbender dissipated the fire. They were separated before the chutes merged and the firebender was behind them. Aang launched a gale to no avail. They entered a portion that had arches over it. Aang destroyed them hoping to block the enemy and when the bin emerged on the other side without Azula he was reassured. However, she had been crouching inside and he screamed as she stood up and attacked him again.

Mai leant back to avoid the water whip, launchind in the same time a blade from her a device around her ankle, but it was blocked by ice. Mai charged but as she approached, Katara encased her right arm in ice and that ice couldn't be broken by her hand chop. Ty Lee jumped up onto the platform and sneaked up behind Katara whose pressure points she systematically jabbed, inhibiting her bending and causing the ice to melt. Mai taunted her about being unable to fight without her bending while she pulled out another knife that unfolded into a sai. But just as she was going to throw it, Sokka's boomerang knocked it out of her hand. Atop Appa, the young man caught his boomerang. He too seemed to manage despite being a non-bender like Mai. Appa landed in the middle and flapped his tail, blasting the two enemy girls away. Katara joined her brother and they took off. They saw Aang and Azula battling on a chute and went to help. They flew next to the coffin at the same speed. The airbender launched the coffin but the sibling failed to catch it as it passed over them and fall down on the other side. Aang was still riding it. It fell on a chute, then another, and kept sliding, the princess still behind them. She created a circular saw blade of blue fire and launched it. As it approached, Bumi moved his head, causing a small pillar of earth to rise up and block the attack. Azula leaped out of her bin just as it collided with the rock. She skidded to a halt in the chute with a dark expression. Not only had she failed to catch them but Bumi's ability to earthbend despite encased in metal was something she had not expected and could prove problematic.

Aang couldn't believe his old friend had been able to earthbend all along. Well, they hadn't covered his face. The coffin landed standing on another newly bended rock at the end of the chute. That discovery angered the Avatar who didn't understand what could be the matter with Bumi. Why did he surrender when Omashu was invaded? Why didn't he free himself? The old king explained that there were options in fighting, called '_jin'._ It was a choice of how one directed one's energy. Aang knew there was positive jin when you were attacking, and negative jin when you were retreating, but he was startled to learn of another one, the neutral jin, when you did nothing. The neutral jin was the key to earthbending. It involved listening and waiting for the right moment to strike. The boy understood at last why his friend had surrendered. It had not been the right time. And it still wasn't which was why Bumi couldn't leave now. The child turned away, clearly sad and disappointed, but still accepted his decision. He needed to find someone else to teach him earthbending, someone who had mastered neutral jin. They said their goodbyes and Bumi used his earthbending powers to drive his coffin back up the chute. Appa, Sokka and Katara arrived.

Azula was sitting in her litter, leaving the city with her two comrades walking at her side.

"So, we're tracking down your brother and Uncle, huh?"

"It'll be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it, Mai?" Ty Lee teased Mai who turned and smiled briefly before recovering her straight face and looking ahead.

"Yes, and also our old friend Chenlian who left the Avatar to join them and look after Zuko and humor him. She might have hoped to pull the wool over my eyes with that disguise but she can't deceive me. I recognized her fighting style." The princess smirked.

"What?! You didn't tell me!" Ty Lee chided.

"I wanted to keep the surprise for when we were together again. Also, we have another target."

"Please wait here. The young master will arrive shortly." The attendant said. Chenlian was made to wait in a room. She was also served tea. But she didn't wait long. Very soon, the young master arrived.

"So you've come. Welcome to the Merchants' Guild." Senya said with a smile.

"Please let me work." Chenlian pressed firmly with determined eyes.

At night, Aang snuck into the Governor's mansion. From the roof, he glanced down at the balcony where the husband was holding his wife. He silently came down, released the baby who toddled over to his parents, and departed as soundlessly as he came, just like a breeze. The toddler was greeted with great joy and relief. The avatar watched the reunion with a smile and flew away.

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**Author's note: for those who don't know yet,** **you can vote for the story you look forward to the most on the poll at the top of my profile page (whether you read only one or several of my stories).  
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	28. Haunting thoughts

**Fight****28: Haunting thoughts**

Days had passed since that day Chenlian had gone to the Merchants' Guild. And again, today, she was doing her job as Senya's lady-in-waiting. Or for now, she was sitting on a chair at the table and looking through the window, waiting for the young master to wake up. He groaned, opened the curtains and stood up. She greeted him with a smile... until she saw how very scantly and loosely dressed he was. She sharply turned her back on him and scolded him, politely requesting (ordering) that he properly wore clothes. He complained that he didn't have a body deserving to be spurned like this but nonetheless agreed to put something on. Chenlian sighed.

"Yes, please do. And it is not a matter of being attractive or not. I'm asking you to respect the conventions of decency. That is also for your sake."

"You're the first woman to care this much about me."

"You're up unusually early today." She remarked.

"And the first woman to ignore me this much. It's unusually hot today. I can't sleep."

"In that case you force yourself to sleep. You lack willpower." The girl said flatly with just a hint of reproach.

"And the first woman to understand me so well." The young man smiled.

"I've prepared fruits, a paper fan and tea."

"I'll have the tea you brewed for me, and I want to hear your pipa, a piece that'll make me feel refreshed."

"Every day, you only ask me to brew you tea and play the pipa until late. Aren't you tired of it?"

"Up until now I've never found anyone who could play the melodies I enjoy as well as you do or brew a tea so much to my liking. Now play." He complimented and requested with his most engaging expression as he sat on the chair opposite her. The girl complied. That guy made a pass at almost every pretty woman and his smooth tongue was highly enclined to exaggeration. He was always playing around and fluttering about like a butterfly so it was fine to ignore him 70 to 80% of the time.

"Still, I did tell you to put your tunic back on, but you really just BARELY threw it back on..."

"You didn't wear the lovely outfit that I prepared for you either." He lamented as he looked over at the magnificent dress and jewelry.

"Young master, I'm not a princess or a noblewoman. Such finery wouldn't suit me and I have no need for them. So why would I wear them?"

"To keep my eyes fresh. But that's my Meiling. How virtuous. Your heart won't be moved by mere displays of wealth or compliments. What integrity." The prodigal man smiled innocently, earning himself another sigh.

"Who are you calling YOUR Meiling? That's called sexual harassement. Besides, how many times must I turn you down for you to understand?"

"And yet, you have the dignity and elegance of a princess. You also possess inner strength and resolution. It seems to be something you subconsciously developed over the years but more than the results of your upbringing, environement, or something you had from birth... I'd say it's a visible proof of the nobility of your heart? Maybe you're more of a princess than the Fire Lord's daughter?"

"How would I know? And why the Fire Lord's daughter?"

"The airbenders have been annihilated except for the Avatar who's male. The daughter of the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe died and the Earth King has yet to father children. That leaves only the Fire Nation whose lord has a daughter your age, right?"

"If you say so. Still, you seem strangely knowledgeable."

"Merchants must keep tabs on people with status. And I keep tabs on notable women."

"I didn't ask anything."

"You're really cold with me. Or are you hiding your embarassement?" The young man poked her cheek. "Don't worry. You have plenty qualities to become a beautiful woman, although being a beautiful girl fits you just right for now. I guess you're right. The outfit I prepared was a little too cute. Next time, I'll have something better."

"Are you even listening to me?"

"But you know, to me you're much, much better than the Fire Lord's daughter or any highborn princess." He stood up and leant very close to her above the table.

"Errr... thank you?" Meiling looked the other way and smiled politely.

"By the way, the Fire Lord had a son your age too. I wonder what he's doing right now."

"Who knows?" The girl replied curtly. Was her employer speaking randomly? How much did he know? Was he truly sharp? What was he thinking? For some reason, she couldn't figure him out at all. She had to be cautious after all.

Appa was lazily flying in the murky sky. Katara was unenthousiatically reading a waterbending scroll, and Sokka was boredly sharpening his machete while Momo peeped over the saddle guard. On the driver's seat, Aang was staring at the vast expanses of swampland below, a vacant, almost mesmerized expression on his face. Sokka noticed they were going doing and asked the avatar if he was doing that for a reason. However, as the child was still zoned out, his friend snapped him back to reality and repeated his question. Aang hadn't even noticed they were descending at a steady rate. Because of the commotion, Katara wondered if there was something wrong.

"I know this is gonna sound weird, but... I think the swamp is... calling to me." The airbender answered. Sokka wanted to know if it was telling him where they could get something to eat . "No, I... I think it wants us to land there." The boy replied seriously to the half joke. But the warrior, without intending to offend the swamp, didn't see any land there to land on. "I don't know... Bumi said to learn earthbending I would have to wait and listen, and now I'm actually hearing the earth. Do you want me to ignore it ?"

"Yes!" Sokka retorted unhesitatingly as he looked down at the inhospitable region. His sister agreed there was something ominous about that place. And so did Momo. Appa groaned his assentment too. Since everyone felt so strongly about this, Aang agreed and pulled the reins. Appa gained altitude and sped away. But they were suddenly scared by a large tornado pursuing them terrifyingly fast. They tried to evade it but it caught up with them and Sokka was blown off the saddle. Katara caught his arm and held onto him. Aang jumped onto the saddle and created an air bubble around them just as they were sucked into the vortex. Sokka fell back into the saddle as the airbender struggled to keep his wind barrier. But eventually, the natural forces were too much for him and his protection collapsed and they were engulfed in the tornado, which threw them out in different directions.

Luckily, the three humans fell down together. They got up, rubbing their sore spots. Appa and Momo weren't here. They called fruitlessly. Katara pointed at her brother and warned him he had an elbow leech.

"Where?! Where?!" The brave Water Tribe warrior freaked out.

"Where do you think ?" The waterbender crossed her arms and looks blankly at him. Even though he could be so smart, how could he reach such heights of stupidity? But well, she was used to that.

"Why do things keep attaching to me?!" Sokka angrily ripped the leech off his arm and threw it near his sister who glared at him. Aang returned after a quick search. He had been unable to find their furry friends and the tornado had... just disappeared.

Appa had actually been caught en entangled in a net of vines. He tried to break free but it was possible until Momo chewed several vines. Then his weight was too much and he fell into the muddy water below. He shook and took off only to fly straight into another net of vines that trapped him.

Sokka was unceremoniously cutting through weeds and vines with his machete when Aang worriedly asked him to be a little nicer to the swamp. Sokka snapped. These were just plants! What was the point of saying 'please' or 'thank you'?! But Katara was also concerned. Something about this place felt... alive. Her brother annoyedly agreed there were lots of living things here, and if they didn't want to get eaten by them, they needed to find Appa as fast as they could. However, they had no idea that they were being watched by someone hiding in vines.

The flying bison had decided to walk through the swamps, leaving huge footprints in the process. Momo was sitting on the saddle. They stopped. A large fallen tree was blocking the way. Appa groaned in frustration and collapsed in a heap, refusing to move any farther. Momo blew the bison whistle. Appa cringed and tried to cover his ears. Despite a warning groan, the lemur did it again, forcing the bison to knock him silly with the flat of his tail.

The teens were walking up a large fallen tree above the water. Night had fallen, and fog had risen from the liquid and settled in. They had no choice but to stop searching and camp for the night. Sokka was surrounded by flies. Katara was scared by a bubble of swamp gas bursting at the surface. There was really nothing surnatural here. They made disgusted sounds when the gas reached them. They were startled into hugging each other by a blood-curdling scream... which was actually the 'song' of a tiny little bird. It screamed once more, terrorizing the children. Better make a fire. Sokka starting hacking tree roots, much to Aang's displeasure.

"No, I asked the swamp. It said this was fine." He replied sarcastically as he turned to address a nearby root. "Right, swamp ?" He grabbed the root he began to shake and displayed his ventriloquism abilities... "No problem, Sokka!" And he hacked some more. The Avatar glared at him. Katara was disconcerted. Some time later, even after they had managed to make a camp and a warm and reassuring fire was burning brightly, the waterbender was still anxious. She felt that they were being watched . Aggravated, her brother told her they were all alone out here. But then, a fly that had been buzzing around him, annoying him, suddenly turned into a ball of incandescent light. And as it fluttered away, its light was reflected by many sinister eyes. Right, they were alone... except for them. The trio held each other in fear. Even if the eyes stopped glowing, that didn't mean those things had left.

Appa was lying down on the lowest branch of a huge tree. On top of him, Momo scurried around, listening, and frightened at the cacophony of the swamp noises. The bison roared and the swamp fell silent. The lemur curled up and fell asleep.

The kids had fallen asleep too, back to back, unaware that they were again being watched from between vines. Soon, several vines slithered their way to the group and wound around each member. The humans woke up, screaming, when they were simultaneously yanked in different benders were dragged off into the mist. Sokka got up after cutting the snaking stem. He ran away and was pursued by more vines that he hacked down. Katara used her water whip to slice her bonds and protect herself while she too was being chased. Aang freed himself by creating an air bubble around him and expanding it, loosening his bonds. He hopped into the surrounding trees, closely pursued by more vines. He escaped thanks to his bending only to soon notice that he was alone.

Morning came. Two men only dressed in animal skin loincloths were staring at some animal (Appa)'s large footprints in the mud. They also had a single, large leaf on their heads serving as a hat. Due was tall and skinny, and Tho was short and fat. They didn't know what made a track like that but it had six big legs leaving a nice wide trail to follow. And at the end of that trail... was dinner.

Appa was swimming in the marsh water. Momo's attention was draw to a fly (food) buzzing around him. It flew off, Momo after it. He hopped from root to root and managed to catch the insect on the last one... that turned out to be the back of a catfish crocodile... which roared and snapped its jaws at him, trying to eat him. The reptile pursued Momo. The lemur managed to return to the safety of Appa's saddle but the crocodile went straight into the bison's open mouth. Appa spat it back out. Momo and the monster hissed at each other for a moment before the crocodile swam away.

Chenlian was walking through the streets, smiling to herself. Aside from the usual necessities, she had found some good tea leaves to Iroh's taste. And herbs with strong calming properties for that guy... And thinking of her scarred companion, her smile faded into a distant, wistful and concerned expression. But suddenly, she felt arms encircle her shoulders. Her eyes widened. She hadn't felt any presence.

"Meeeiiii-ling!" A familiar voice called her right against her ear. But she had recognized its owner too late. She had already tightly gripped his wrist, ready to twist his arm.

"Wah! Young master, I'm sorry!" The girl let go and turned around. He acted dejected and angry. No woman had ever treated him this badly after he had greeted her. He was rubbing his wrist. But then he smiled. She was really different from all the other women after all. She apologized again. He had really surprised her. But he forgave her since he had got to see her cute sheepish and embarrassed expression. Chenlian twitched, her smile stiffening. How was she supposed to react to that? No, she shouldn't overthink. He had forgiven her. She thanked him. They started walking again.

"Still, you're always buying tea. Do you intend to open a teahouse? Or is it all for me?"

"All wrong. I simply want to brew a lot for the people whom I hold dear." She smiled tenderly. The young man stopped walking.

"Hmm... so you do have them... people you hold dear."

"I do." She sounded genuinely happy. But as there was no reply, she turned. That guy... looked strange. That loneliness and despondency that emanated from him... but it lasted only a second before he smiled again, saying he envied her.

"It must be hard..." He spoke again after a pause as he looked sideways at the board with all the wanted posters. Zuko, Iroh, Chenlian, the Avatar, Jeong Jeong, the Blue Spirit, the Dragon Princess... "And among them, some are even on the run from both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom... it must be hard... being constantly on the run, constantly on guard, being lonely, having no one to rely on..."

"Y-You must be right..." The woman trailed off distantly, looking down. How could he voice her feelings so easily, show such compassion...

"And still, I envy their boldness, their agility, their resourcefulness, their dedication. But only coveting is pointless. We'll leisurely enjoy our days." He smiled and took her by the shoulders again. Meiling argued that in his case that wasn't leisure but laziness. Even though he had an older brother meant to inherit the business and who was taking care of the affairs, he should still work more for the sake of his family and this world, like using his looks and silver tongue for diplomatic missions... even though it could be considered a fraud, given the positively bewitching level of those looks and tongue. "And still, those don't work on you. You're really something else. And you're clever. There has never been a woman who understood me like this in such a short period of time. We can only become husband and wife now." He leant in and smiled. Chenlian was going to tell him off again, that what he needed wasn't a wife but a mother, that there was a limit to how far he could take his jokes, but the words were caught in her throat when their eyes met. They were serious. He was truly considering her, as a woman... He was watching, listening... as if trying to learn everything about her. He was gently trying to pass her defenses and see the real her. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply and when she opened them again, there was determination.

"Um, young master-"

"Please stop calling me 'young master'. I don't want you to see me as the young master of the Qi family, but as myself, as Senya. That's why I've asked you to call me Senya..." His already winning voice was tinted with a pleading tone. The girl froze, remembering Zuko's words... _"This is humiliating! We're royalty. These people should be giving us whatever we want."_Zuko wanted to be seen as the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. But that man... was the opposite... the one towards whom her heart tended... She suddenly turned around.

"Unfortunately, I prefer calling you young master. And if you're looking for a toy, please ask someone else. There are things I want and have to do and the time I can devote to you is limited."

"I just thought that you would suit me. Well, sorry, but it doesn't seem like I will tire of you anytime soon. It might even last a lifetime."

Katara was walking through the swamp, vainly calling her companion. Then she spotted a human's silhouette and went over asking for help. Upon a closer look, she noticed it was a woman wearing water tribe clothing... and they had a very similar hairstyle... that figure... it was...

"Mom?! Mom!" She ran, tears of joy streaming down her eyes. She reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I can't believe-" But she stopped and her smile dropped when her vision cleared and sunlight filtered. That wasn't her mom but a tree stump. Katara gasped at the realization, fell to her knees and began to cry.

Sokka too was looking for his comrades while cutting everything in his way and cursing the whole place. He ended up putting to much spirit into it and falling flat face first in the mud. He looked up and floating in a shaft of light, saw the ghostly form of Princess Yue.

"Hello Yue ." He walked towards the ghost and grabbed the side of his head, looking away. "This is just a trick of the light... swamp gas..." He turned his back. "I... hit my head running away last night. I'm going crazy." He reasoned. Despite his fright, he turned to her again and approached her. Because he loved her so much.

"You didn't protect me." He heard her say, her voice like a distant echo. He rubbed his eyes and he was alone again. Really, just a trick of the light. Disappointed, Sokka turned to walk away and suddenly found himself face to face with Yue. He yelled in surprise and fell backwards into the water. He looked around once more, and she was gone. He stood, drew his machete, and walked off, frowning.

Aang was calling for Katara and Appa when he saw two figures on a stone or earthen mound, a winged boar, and a girl in her early teens dressed in a very elegant and lightly colored outfit. He greeted them and asked who they were. The boar flew away. The girl covered her mouth with her hands and laughed before running away. The Avatar went after her. But it was strange. When he followed her on the branches, she instantly appeared running on the ground, when he'd go down he'd see her in the trees again... It was like she was in several places at once, or she was able to move at lightning speed, or both. It was impossible to reach her.

Appa stopped swimming, his path was blocked by three river boats. The point boat was manned by Tho and Due. Momo chattered.

"Look at that, Tho. Is that little hairy fellow ridin' that thing .'

"Naw, that's what they call a "lemoo", saw one at a travelin' show once. Real smart they say." Tho answered. Due was sure it tasted a lot like possum chicken. "You think everything tastes like possum chicken."

"C'mon now, fellas. Just a little closer. Nice and easy. Nothing to worry about. We just fixin' to eat ya." Due coaxed. But that made Appa roar, turn, and jump away. Tho was angry. Why did he have to say that for?! "Well, we are!"

"But you don't have to tell'em that!"

"Well how'd I know they'd understand me?!" However, now was not the time to be arguing if they wanted those animals for dinner. Due started making paddling motions with his arms and within a few seconds, the waterbending-propelled canoe was speeding down the river, the two other boats in tow.

Aang was still in pursuit of the laughing girl. He asked again who she was without getting an answer. He ran up and charged the girl in white... and realized too late it was Katara standing on the mound. Unable to stop in time, he knocked her over, making her cry. Alerted by the noise, Sokka drew his weapon which proved completely useless as the two rolled down and knocked him down as well. They landed in a pile at the bottom of another tree root. Sokka stood up and got angry at them. What were they doing?! He had been looking all over for them! His sister shot back that she had been wandering around looking for them. Aang softly and confusedly replied that he had been chasing some girl. He didn't know who she was. He had heard laughing and seen some girl in a fancy dress.

"Well, there must be a tea party here and we just didn't get our invitations!" Sokka commented sarcastically. After a time, Katara looked down and admitted that she thought she had seen her mom. Her brother stayed silent for a moment and hung his head too. "Look, we were all just scared and hungry and our minds were playing tricks on us. That's why we all saw things out here." He tried to reason but he only revealed the weakness he had tried tried to hide.

"You saw something too ..."

"I thought I saw Yue." He acknowledged, averting himself so they wouldn't see his expression before turning back to them. "But, that doesn't prove anything. Look, I think about her all the time, and you saw mom, someone you miss a lot." However his theory didn't work in Aang's case as he didn't know the girl he had seen, and all their visions had led them here... the center, the heart of the swamp... A tree so large it appeared even able to support the world... and the one Aang felt was the one that had called them here. This opinion frustrated Sokka. It was just a tree. It couldn't call anyone! There was nothing after them and there was nothing magical happening here. But the moment those words fell from his lips, a huge swamp monster, seemingly made of vines burst from the water behind the next to them. They hugged each other, screaming their heads off.

The three broke up and ran out in different directions when the thing swung at them. It managed to grab Sokka and flailed him around. Seeing that, Aang freed his friend by cutting the vines with a blast of air. The teen fell back into the water with a yell. The creature knocked the airbender away with a sweep of its arm. Sokka was hacking vines when he looked back and saw the plants attaching themselves to the monster and rebuilding the right arm that Aang had previously damaged. It grabbed Sokka again and slid away. Katara skated across the water and fired a jet of water through the creature's left shoulder. It dropped her brother, a large hole in its left shoulder. Katara nicely squared off against the green monster until she was sent flying by vines that had suddenly grown right out from its body. Aang who was running back to the fight got distracted by Katara's state and failed to react in time when vines punched him back again. It placed Sokka on his body and started absorbing the boy despite his struggles.

Appa and Momo were still pursued by Tho and Due. The lemur threw a blue cloth at the face of one of the boatmen on the right. And the man's efforts to get it off caused the canoe to capsize. Tho wondered what a lemoo would need a shirt for. The bison bent low to avoid a tree root but as Momo was turned the other way, he couldn't see it and was knocked off his friend's back. He fell right into Tho's open sack. The bender closed the bag, tied it and dropped it and the chase continued.

The monster was advancing through the swamp with Sokka still struggling in its chest. The Avatar rode his air scooter up the creature's torso and back and landed atop its head and created a whirlwind that twisted the vines composing the monster into a huge coil. Katara froze the plants around her brother, weakened the ice in a circle, and raised a column of water behind her that propelled her and Sokka through the chest of the monster and into the water behind. The plant thing repaired the hole in its chest and advanced on the pair. Aang jumped through the air and onto the monster's back, slamming it onto the ground. But the boy had barely hopped down that the creature blasted him away again. It was then Katara decided to take thing seriously and rapidly and relentlessly fired round blades of water that sliced the vines. Suddenly, they spotted a topless man inside the monster who was bending the vines. The girl sliced the mask and the head of the monster with a water whip. They fell into the water as a bunch of vines grabbed Katara. Aang flew back into the fight and with a single blast of air blew away the rest of the monster to reveal a fat, leaf clad man.

"Why did you call me here if you just wanted to kill us ?!" The child asked angrily.

"Wait! I didn't call you here!" The man replied, dropping the rest of the plants.

"We were flying over and I heard something calling to me, telling me to land." Aang stated.

"He's the Avatar. Stuff like that happens to us – a lot." Sokka explained. At this, the vines-bender, who introduced himself as Hue, asked the Avatar to follow him.

He led them to the giant tree at the center of the swamp and they climbed up its roots. Hue protected the swamp from folks that wanted to hurt it like this fellow (Sokka) with his big knife.

"See ? Completely reasonable. Not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it." Sokka sheathed his machete. But the swamp guard contradicted him. The swamp was a mystical place, all right. It was sacred. He had reached enlightenment right here under the banion grove tree. He had heard it calling him, just like the Avatar did. "Sure ya did. It seems real chatty." The machete wielder commented sarcastically.

"See... this whole swamp is actually just one tree spread out over miles... Branches, spread and sink and take root and then spread some more – one big living organism, just like the entire world." Hue said. Aang understood how the tree was one big thing, but, the whole world ... "Sure. You think you're any different from me ? Or your friends ? Or this tree ? If you listen hard enough you can hear every living thing breathing together, you can feel everything growing. We're all livin' together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree."

"But what did our visions mean ?" Katara intervened.

"In the swamp we see visions of people we've lost, people we loved... folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to' em. Time is an illusion and so is death."

"But what about my vision ? It was someone I had never met." Aang wondered.

"You're the Avatar. You tell me." Hue smiled.

"Time is an illusion..." The monk repeated, trying to puzzle his case out. "So, it's... someone I will meet !" He looked up, realization written over his face. The old man winked. Sokka apologized for interrupting the lesson but they still needed to find Appa and Momo. And Aang had an idea about the method. He placed his hand on the tree root, closed his eyes and concentrated. Everything was arrow tattoo on his hand began to glow, lighting another energy that surged from his hand into the root. It travelled down through the swamp along with his consciousness until he saw Appa getting netted by the boatmen and being subdued despite his struggles. The Avatar stood up. They had to hurry!

Tho was singing when suddenly a jet of water erupted from the side and destroyed the boat next to him while Aang appeared on the tree branch in front. He knocked Tho off the craft with a blast of air and Momo escaped. Due waterbended a wall of water up at the boy and Katara, who had joined him. They tried to repel it and wave moved back and forth between the canoe and the tree root. That was how Katara deduced those people were waterbenders too.

"You too ? That means we're kin!" Due exclaimed, failing to notice the girl's vaguely horrified expression at that last statement. The water wall collapsed between them. Sokka and Hue ran up the tree branch to Aang and Katara. They looked down. "Hey Hue! How you been ?"

"You know, scared some folks, swung some vines, the usual." Hue smiled.

Chenlian was playing the pipa while Senya was sipping the tea she had brewed. Suddenly she felt her hair that was up in a bun fall back. She stopped playing and looked at her employer like a mother at her misbehaving child, not about to be deceived by his innocent looks.

"Yup, it does suit you better. Could you keep you hair down from now on? You're prettier like this, or rather, you'd be more my type."

"Please give me back my hairpin." The red haired held out her hand. The young man sighed. He stared at the ornament for a time.

"Then how about we do this? I'll give it back if you tell me your real name." The merchant's son suggested. The girl twitched almost unnoticeably. He smiled. "The name 'Meiling' is too cute and soft a name and doesn't suit you. A dignified and bright strong name would be best for you."

"Well, excuse-me for not being cute. And I may be your lady-in-waiting but I'm under no obligation to go along with your fantasies." The woman snatched her hairpin back, put her pipa down, and started doing her hair. But it wasn't that easy without a mirror and while she was struggling he stood up, walked up to her, leant in, cupped her chin he tilted and kissed her. Shocked by this unthinkable happening, she froze. However, soon, his warmth, the touch of his hands, his lips on hers, made her snap back. "Young master!" She yelled angrily as she violently pushed him away. She started leaving.

"Goodnight, Meiling." He said sweetly. Chenlian glowered at him and slammed the door. "She's really cute after all." He sighed dreamily.

The girl cursed, having half a mind to burn this house with that wretch inside. She had underestimated him. While he would always tease her, he had always been careful not to go too far. His skills resided in assessing the perfect distance needed with his current interlocutor. He knew exactly how far he could take things with everyone. That was why she had never thought he... he... she touched her lips and blushed at the memory of the kiss. She violently shook her head, her face once more the picture of wrath, and marched away.

"Uncle, where is Chenlian? She still hasn't come back?" Zuko asked the old man.

"I don't know. She's been disappearing a lot recently and she doesn't feel the need to tell me where she goes and what she does. But that's the same for you, isn't it? Don't worry, as I've told you many times, she can handle herself just fine. And she isn't the type to just sit and do nothing, is she?" He told his nephew reassuringly, although it had the opposite effect. The reason of his frequent disappearances and his silence... Chenlian's personality... how she returned with food, money, and all those things, her own silence... an image of that man flashed into his mind, the one who had bought Chenlian's pipa... and acted so intimately with her, and looked at him like he was challenging him... Adding to his worry for his childhood friend, a white hot anger surged at the thought of that man. Just imagining Chenlian with that player made him burn and brought forth destructive urges. He could never let her go to him! Right! Such a superficial guy whose consideration for women was only skin-deep could never fathom just how important Chenlian was to Zuko and how much he needed her!

The children and swamp men had gathered around the same campfire for the night. Appa was with them, free of course. They were eating possum chicken. Sokka commented it tasted just like arctic hen and asked they had been so interested in eating Appa even though they'd got plenty of big things (like the live catfish crocodile against which Due was resting) wandering around.

"You want me to eat old Slim ?! He's like a member of the family!" Due sounded incredulous. He then took a fish and tossed it at Slim, who ate it in one bite.

"Nice Slim!" Sokka praised like he'd do a dog. He threw a piece of roasted insect but it bounces off the reptile's mouth. Slim turned and growled at Sokka, who recoiled in terror. Due laughed saying Slim didn't eat no bugs. That was people food. When Tho asked about it, Katara answered they came from the South Pole. He wondered whether they got a nice swamp there but it was all ice and snow. The two swamp fellows looked surprised. No wonder they left the South Pole then.

"Well, I hope you realize now that nothing strange was going on here. Just a bunch of greasy people living in a swamp." Sokka concluded with a professorial tone. His sister questioned him about the visions. "I told you, we were hungry. I'm eating a giant bug!" He raised what appeared to be a huge fruit fly, the size of a grown cat, and took a huge bite out of it. Aang asked about when the tree showed him where Appa and Momo were. "That's Avatar stuff, that doesn't count." Then he turned to Hue. "The only thing I can't figure out is how you made that tornado that sucked us down."

"I can't do anything like that. I just bended the water in the plants." The old man replied.

"Well, no accounting for weather. Still, there's absolutely nothing mysterious about the swamp." Sokka swept the matter under the carpet while not far, a little bird landed on a branch, screamed, and was batted away by a vine.

* * *

**Author's note: By the way, I forgot to mention that the poll should help me establish a priority list :p at least, it's one of the criteria lol**


	29. Resolution

**Fight****29: Resolution**

Early morning, in a conifer forest on a shoreline, Katara and Sokka were sleeping atop large tree stumps while Aang was resting on Appa's saddle. A spider had built a web in Sokka's open mouth and was patiently waiting for its prey at the center. And Momo was intently staring at it. The lemur was standing on the boy's chest. A fly got caught in the web and when the spider moved to get it, Momo shoves his hand into Sokka's mouth, catching both bugs in the same time. The boy's eyes bugged out and he chucked and spat and got angry at the lemur that ate the bugs while lying upside down on Sokka's chest. The young man asked the animal to be a little more sensitive to his boundaries. But suddenly, the lemur heard something that made him bolt on his feet, scared. There were galloping sounds and Aang and Katara woke up and looked in horror at the war komodo-rhinos that encircled their camp. Each was mounted by a Fire Nation soldier although they didn't wear the standard uniform. They looked like mercenaries.

"Give up! You're completely surrounded!" The muscular and cruel-looking leader, Colonel Mongke, barked. He was wearing a nose ring and a short sleeve uniform. Four beasts were circling Appa and the kids and there was another on a rock outcropping. A long haired archer with red paint on his face (who had certainly once been part of the Yu Yan Archers) fired three flaming arrows at Sokka who was earthworming his way in his sleeping bag. The projectiles pinned his bag to the ground. He freed himself and the two siblings ran to Appa. Aang was already on the driver's seat. But Katara noticed she had left her waterbending scrolls behind. A komodo rhino stopped at the stump and its rider planted his halberd into the wood. She charged nonetheless and bended a jet from her waterskin to freeze the blade to the stump. She quickly took a box of scrolls and returned. But that had reminded the airbender that he had forgotten his staff. He jumped and ran to it. The halberd user broke the ice and retrieved his weapon. Another soldier launched a weighted chain that wraped around a tree trunk, bringing is down with a huge crash right in Aang's way. The child airbended himself over it. The masked mercenary threw a grenade from his belt at the Avatar. However, the latter had recovered his staff and used it to bat the bomb deeper into the forest where it exploded. Aang jumped back onto Appa and the bison took off on his command. Mongke launched blasts of fire at them but they ducked in time. It was only then that Sokka remembered his boomerang. He wanted to get it back but his sister told him there was no time.

"Oh, I see. There's time to get YOUR scrolls and time to get YOUR staff, but no time for MY boomerang ?!" The warrior was angry.

"That's correct!" Katara replied cheerfully.

"Oh." Sokka said resignedly.

Appa landed in a forest clearing near a trail leading to a walled town built near a cliff overlooking the ocean. The humans went to a small shop on the roadside. Katara was doing the shopping while Aang, wearing a conical hat, was apologizing to Sokka about his boomerang. The teen warrior felt he had lost part of his identity, the same as if Aang lost his arrow or Katara her... hair loopies... he walked over to the stall, where his baby sis hugged him comfortingly. The merchant gave a basket of food and other products to Sokka, calling him 'ponytail guy'. The boy lamented he used to be 'boomerang guy'. The merchant closed his shop and bid them a nice Avatar Day, which intrigued the children who decided to go see the town festival.

They saw a giant Kyoshi float rolling to the main square, and followed by Roku. More than having a huge festival in his honor, Aang was grateful just being appreciated. However, more than anything, Sokka appreciated the deep-fried festival food. And then, a giant Aang float passed by. The three floats were lined up before the spectators. A muscular and bare-chested young man ran into the square with a lit torch.

"Now a torch... that's a nice prop. It's bright, dangerous..." Sokka deeply breathed in. "Smells manly. But I'm not sure I could carry it off." But they were shocked to the man jump through the lower half of the Kyoshi statue and light it on fire before going to the Roku float and setting it ablaze too. The crowd was repeatedly chanting 'Down with the Avatar!' At the mayor's signal, the man, who had climbed on a roof, threw his torch at the Aang float whose right eye and began to burn. The boy showed a pained and distraught face. Katara bended the water from two nearby caskets and quenched the fire. A spectator accused that party-pooper of ruining Avatar Day. Aang airbended himself to the left shoulder of his own float and defended the party-pooper, his friend. And he revealed himself. People panicked, believing he was going to kill them with his awesome Avatar powers. The monk tried to convince them otherwise. The mayor snootily asked him to leave as he was not welcome here. But Katara didn't understand why, Aang helped people, he was on their side.

"I find that hard to swallow considering what you did to us in your past life. It was Avatar Kyoshi; she murdered our glorious leader, Chin the Great." The mayor accused, shocking the child. He was supported by a hideous old man who stated they used to be a great society before he killed their leader. Katara defended the airbender. Aang would never do something like that. No Avatar would. And she also accused the townspeople: it wasn't fair of them to question his honor! A man broke wind and stuck his butt out at her in response and the crowd noisily voiced its agreement. And so, in order to clear his name, Aang glady accepted to stand trial and follow all their rules, including paying bail. However, they refused his Water Tribe money and he was put to jail, a stocks device around his neck and wrists.

"So, some people don't like you. Big deal! There's a whole nation of firebenders who hate you. Now let's bust you out of here." Sokka demanded.

"I can't."

"Sure you can! A little... swish, swish, swish! Airbending slice! ...and we're on our way." The teen warrior was quite upbeat. Katara translated: what 'Master Swish' was probably trying to say was that he was supposed to be out saving the world and he couldn't do that if he was locked up. The Avatar replied he couldn't do that either with people thinking he was a murderer. He needed his friends to prove his innocence. Sokka doubted it was possible since the crime had happened over three hundred years ago.

"That's okay, Sokka. For some reason, I thought you were an expert detective." Aang shrewdly motivated him. Sokka admitted it, clearly faking modesty. His sister played along. Back home he was famous for solving the mystery of the missing seal jerky! The young man bragged about how he had solved this case, failing to notice Katara's gesture of despair and Aang making fun of him to amuse her. In the end, Sokka accepted the request, although for that he needed new props.

"You sound restless and irritated." Senya noticed. Chenlian kept playing, her eyes closed, her aura so waspish it was prickling. "Are you still angry about yesterday?"

"Of course. You still haven't apologised." She replied sharply. But it wasn't the only reason she was on edge. This morning, Zuko had tried to follow her to see where she was going. She had managed to lose him in town but still, it had been dangerous. And surely, she was going to get an earful again upon her return...

"I've done nothing that would require an apology." He declared with shameless confidence. "More importantly, I want to know why you're so guarded and apprehensive about love. Each time I try to get close to you, you shield your heart with a hard armor. Perhaps were you deserted by a horrible man?" He inquired, his piercing eyes boring into hers. She stopped playing and kept quiet, only her eyes twitched as she remembered the pain she had felt when Zuko had repulsed her so strongly and chosen Azula at the bathhouse, how he had snapped when he had captured her and Katara during the waterbending scroll incident with the pirates... and all those times when she had felt distance, rejection, a wall between them... "Are you afraid to love?" He young man asked softly. After a time, Meiling smiled sadly and derisively.

"Maybe... I am." She admitted her weakness against all expectations.

"So am I."

"What?!" Chenlian exclaimed, incredulous. "How could that be?! Don't you make a move on every pretty girl?!"

"That's something I can do because I'm playing around, and so are they. But if I found someone special to me, someone I truly want, surely I wouldn't hesitate."

After having put a strange hat on his head with an extending magnifying glass that restes above right eye, he declared he was ready, making his sister giggle at his ridiculous outfit. They went to the sea side of the town where a small temple right on the cliff was overlooking the water expanse. Between the temple and the city walls, the benches of an amphitheatre were cut into the hillside. While sokka was studying the temple, Mayor Tong stood right at the edge of the cliff and pointed at a small footprint at his feet, saying this was the crime scene, and the footprint of the killer, Kyoshi. It was at sunset three hundred and seventy years ago today that she had emerged from the temple and struck down... he indicated a statue of a stern Earth Kingdom warrior made of marble near the temple... Chin the Great. After that tragic day, they had built this statue to immortalize our great leader. He told them to feel free to appreciate it, which Sokka did. He noticed that the temple and statue were cut from the same stone. And they knew that the statue was built after Chin died.

"So if they were built at the same time, that means-" Katara began, worked up.

"Shhh! I wanna solve it! That means Kyoshi never set foot in this temple." Her brother interrupted.

"That's a big hole in the mayor's story, but it's not enough to prove Aang's innocence." She concluded. Her brother agreed. Although the biggest mystery nobody thought of addressing was how this footprint could have lasted over three hundred years in perfect shape without being eroded by time and elements. Sokka produced a water pipe out of nowhere and blew a few bubbles. They needed to go to Kyoshi Island. Katara asked where he had got that pipe.

Actually, Aang was confined in a walled courtyard with a partial roof overhanging the opposite side. Only one wall had a round opening with bars. That was where visitors could come talk to the inmates. A tall, muscular, bald tattooed prisoner came forward.

"You got a bald head... some nice tattoos..." He ran at Aang with a cry of fury, but was restrained by chains before he reached him. "You're going to fit in real well around here." He balled his fists. The Avatar smiled fearfully.

The Water Tribe siblings arrived at Kyoshi Island on Appa. Of course, they were immediately surrounded by the townspeople. Koko stomped her foot and demanded to know where 'Aangy' was, and when Katara said he couldn't be here, everyone was disappointed. The crowd dispersed, but Oyagi approached them. The two explained the situation. Aang was in jail. The town of Chin believed Kyoshi murdered their leader in a past life. The indignant old man took them to Kyoshi's shrine in hope there would be something there would help them clear her name.

"So, uh... what's Suki up to ? Is she around?" Sokka inquired with feigned casualness on the path up from the village to the shrine. The chief told him that, inspired by them she had wanted to help change the world and left along with her warriors to fight in the war. "Oh, well... that's great." Although he had entirely forsaken Suki for a time to be consumed by an intense yet tragic romance with Princess Yue, that did not stop him from feeling depressed now due to his inability to return to his old love. They walked under a paifang gate to another temple overlooking the sea. It had been converted into a shrine to Kyoshi. They entered the dark room, filled with the former Avatar's clothing and weapons. The clerics had said that these relics were still connected to her spirit. Then Katara noticed Kyoshi's boots. Her feet must have been enormous. She recalled the small print by the Chin temple and instantly realized what this meant.

"Little footprints ... There's no way—" However, she was interrupted by her brother clearing his throat.

"Ahem. Special outfit? Hat and pipe? These things mean anything to you ?"

"You're right. I'm sorry. Please." The waterbender apologized with mock respect.

"Aha! There's no way Kyoshi could have made that footprint and therefore there is nothing linking her to the crime scene!" He declared dramatically. The girl flatly and sarcastically praised his brilliant deduction.

Chenlian was doing her shopping in the street market. Surely, Zuko had given up and left. Senya had decided to accompany her to 'protect her' and 'spend time with her'. And indeed, he kept sticking close to her at first, but as expected, he was accosted by girls within five minutes. They appeared to be of relatively high status. They wooed him, while subtly expressing their displeasure at her presence. They did not dare be open about it for the sake of appearances and not to anger Senya. She felt their jealousy in their patronizing attitude. A low-born person like her wasn't fit to be the young master's companion. She reacted with extreme politeness, and cold. And soon after the greetings, Chenlian left her employer in their care with a smile. However, he chased after her and hugged from behind. He mentioned how glacial and irritated she had been, even to him... like she had been jealous...

"I have no reason to be jealous. I just don't think social standing should be a criterion to judge people or relations."

"The women I've known believed they deserved something simply because they wanted it or impaired themselves with self-imposed limitations. But you're different." He pulled away and turned her around. "You're truly a person of exception. Since you look with your heart, you don't get swayed by appearances. You cherish people. You pretend to be indifferent but you care. Even your harshness is a proof of care. You don't reprimand someone you don't care about."

"You're overestimating me. I just don't like what I don't like." Meiling looked away.

"But I believe a man who loves you must be prepared. You're the type to choose the people over him if you were to be in such a situation, even if you were to suffer from that choice."

"You speak as if I could be in that position." The woman noted. She was trying to hide it but she was agitated. His words had struck a chord in her heart, one she had ignored all this time since she, Zuko and Iroh had escaped Azula and started living together. Senya smiled mysteriously.

"But you know, that kindness you lavish on everyone makes you really cruel. He won't ever be number one in your heart and will suffer severe fits of jealousy. He will resent you. Because he loves you, he wants to monopolize you, but still you won't be entirely his even if you love him back. What should a man do then, give up or endure?"

"How would I know?" She replied, covering her fear with bravado. Enjoying a simple everyday life with Zuko without having to fight, without being separated by the war, simply being together, talking, sometimes laughing... even if there were hard times and tensions, that time was still unspeakably precious to her, even their arguments, because you wouldn't waste time arguing for so long with someone you didn't care about. Even if it was a conflictual one, that relation still gave her hope, for her, for him, for the two of them, like a green bud sprouting over blackened soil. She wanted to cherish it and protect it. But because she had once more found something precious, she had been reminded of the fear of losing it.

"You're right, that part is up to the man. The sun lights and warms this Earth, but if it's too bright it will parch and burn it. And you shouldn't forget that even the sun can be engulfed in the darkness of the night."

"I don't get what you're talking about."

"Just talking to myself. By the way, if it was me, I'd do anything for you, I'd give you everything you desired and I could sacrifice anything too..." He cupped her chin and tilted it upward, and gazed at her such with magnetic green eyes, deep enough to let even her drown in them. "... the world... or myself..." He leant in but before he could kiss her, her palm connected with his chin and forced him back.

"Then please stop getting ahead of yourself."

"Ah." The young man said with the sheepish and mischievous smile of one who just had his plan thwarted.

"I won't let my guard down again. And I'll be doing my shopping alone after all. Now please be a good boy and return home."

"Yeeeees."

"You're being unexpectedly docile." Chenlian noted, surprised and a little suspicious.

"Well, I don't want you to hate me. I have to behave every now and then." He smiled like a child. But his eyes were still those of an adult. The girl praised him and left. He waved until she was out of sight and then turned to sneer at the young man with the burn scar behind him, a superior and provoking light in his eyes. A distance away, his fists balled up, Zuko fiercely glared back at him, his face distorted by an intense wrath.

Aang was sitting in a circle with three other prisoners. The one who had called out to him reassured him. This girl he was talking about was sure come around. He just gotta hang in there until then. The boy easily got out of the stocks (that were too big for him) and rested his elbows on top of it. He hopefully asked if they really thought so and they confirmed all at once. He was a catch. Indeed, he was fitting in quite well. But he was still unsure. The first prisoner insisted. He was smart, handsome, funny, not to mention he was the Avatar. Aang smiled, saying they were great. The third prisoner sniffled and wiped a tear from his eyes, touched. Aang shouldn't be afraid to tell that girl how he felt.

At the Kyoshi Shrine, Oyagi showed the siblings a beautiful mural called "The Birth of Kyoshi." It had been painted at sunrise on the day the island was founded. In fact, it was this very day three hundred and seventy years ago. The information made Sokka spit out his pipe. This ceremony didn't take place at sunrise but at sunset from the shadows. They pointed east, so the sun must have been in the west. If Kyoshi had been in the ceremony at sunset, she couldn't have been committing the crime. She had an alibi! With that, they returned to the city of Chin. At Aang's jail they informed the mayor that after the investigation they had conducted, they had found some very strong evidence and prepared a solid defense for the Avatar.

"Evidence... Hmph! That's not how our court system works." Tong scoffed. The monk asked how he could prove his innocence. "Simple. I say what happened and then you say what happened and then I decide who's right." The official explained smugly, making everyone gasp, horrified, as they realized the implications of his words. "That's why we call it justice. Because it's 'just us.' Hahaha!" He walked off laughing maniacally. So basically, here all trials were sham.

The villagers had gathered on the benches of the amphitheatre for the Avatar's trial. The mayor made an incredibly short and simple speech. "Everyone loved Chin the Great because he was so great. Then the Avatar showed up and killed him! And that's how it happened." No basis, no proof, nothing, and that didn't matter since they didn't know the meaning of 'reason' or 'sense'; unless they didn't care. It was now the accused's turn. Sokka quietly and vainly encouraged him. Right... evidence. However, Aang completely messed his own defence, and couldn't sound more impersuasive. So in a last ditch attempt to save him, Katara called for the court to hear one last testimony. Of course, Tong jumped in anger and refused her. He had already told her it was just him and the accused. She couldn't call any witnesses. However, this wasn't just any witness. She was calling for... Avatar Kyoshi herself! Aang wore Kyoshi's clothes (that were way too big for him) and makeup. There was much mumbling among the crowd. The waterbender returned on her seat next to her brother who emitted his doubts concerning this strategy. But Kyoshi was Aang's past life. Maybe wearing her stuff would trigger something. The official protested. This was a mockery of Chin law! The girl begged him to wait a little more. The child greeted everyone in a mock female voice, calling himself Avatar Kyoshi but of course didn't fool anyone.

"This is ridiculous. For the murder of Chin the Great, this court finds the Avatar-" But as Mayor Tong was going to finish, a whirlwind of dust appeared around Aang, obscuring him from view and the sky darkened. The whirlwind dispersed to reveal Avatar Kyoshi herself.

"I killed Chin the Conqueror." She stated. "A horrible tyrant, Chin was expanding his army to all corners of the they came to the neck of the peninsula where we lived, he demanded our immediate surrender. I warned him that I would not sit passively while he took our home, but he did not back down. On that day, we split from the mainland." She had used her avatar powers to rent the earth all the way down and separate the peninsula and ease the movement of the newly created island with magma and wind. As the gale had blown Chin's army and propelled the island, the Conqueror had screamed in frustration at his defeat and the rock under him had crumbled, making him fall to his death into the water far below. "I created Kyoshi Island so my people could be safe from invaders." As she concluded, a whirlwind surrounded her, the darkness vanished and her spirit left Aang. Drained, the child swayed and let go of Kyoshi's fans. Katara rushed to hold him. He asked what happened.

"Uhh... you kind of confessed. Sorry." The waterbender apologized.

"And I find you guilty! Bring out the wheel of punishment!" The mayor ordered as he stood up and brushed himself. The wheel was brought. It was divided in eight wedges with a picture for eight sentences including getting boiled in oil, a torture machine, eaten by a bear, eaten by a shark, forced to lie on a bed of spikes, getting burned alive, falling into a pit of razors, and community service. On top was an indicator that determined the punishment when the wheel stopped spinning. As he had declared he would face justice, Aang spun the wheel. The spectators asked for the sentence they thought the worst like the torture machine, the razor pit or being eaten by bears while Katara prayed for community service. However, the wheel stopped at 'boiled in oil'. The crowd cheered and Aang and his friends looked horrified. Suddenly, a bomb bounced on the plaza into the temple where it exploded, blowing the building. A few seconds later, Colonel Mongke's voice resounded.

"We've come to claim this village for the Fire Lord! Now show me your leader so I may... dethrone him." He commanded as his soldier destroyed the statue of Chin the Conqueror with his halberd.

"That's him over there!" A spectator pointed at the mayor who hid behind the wheel. Such loyalty and strength of character... it was truly nothing short of amazing...

"You! Avatar! Do something!"

"Gee, I'd love to help, but I'm supposed to be boiled in oil." Aang replied unconcernedly. Tong spun the wheel to the next wedge, the community service one.

"There! 'Community service'. Now serve our community and get rid of those rhinos!" The mayor arranged, although it sounded more like 'serve me', since his community had deserted him. But that was enough for Aang who smiled and ran forward. He jumped into the air, shedding most of Kyoshi's clothing. The rider readied his halberd. The child unfolded the fans, sidestepped the komodo-rhino, and used the fan to airbend the rider out of his seat and off the side of the cliff. The Mayor peeped out over the wheel as the riderless anime closed in on him. He turned in horror and slid down the back of the mechanism. Three horns busted through the wheel, one just above each shoulder and one between his legs.

The Colonel Mongke ordered his Rough Rhinos to the town. And the four dispersed through the village, setting it on fire with arrows and blasts of fire. The masked rider dropped sticks of dynamite as he went. The stocky shirtless mercenary used his chain to break wooden pillars and collapse buildings. He was soon faced by Katara who blocked with ice, sending the flail back against her attacker. It coiled around him, leaving him bound by his own weapon and helpless. She then whipped the beast with her water and it ran away. Sokka reflected the sun with his magnifying glass to distract and blind the archer who turned and fired the two flaming arrows at him. They missed the boy, but took his silly hat on the way and hit the side bag attached to the masked Fire Nation's soldier rhino behind Sokka. Sokka smiled and ducked. The masked man picked up the bag of dynamite and threw it on the roof of a neighboring house that exploded a second later. Caught in the explosion, the Rough Rhino was projected against a wall. His helmet rolled by Sokka. Another bag landed before him... with his boomerang hanging out of it.

"Boomerang! You do always come back!" He exclaimed happily. The archer aimed at Sokka, who after a second of fear, threw his water pipe that engulfed both arrow and bow tips in its maw, putting out their fires. Katara took advantage of his inattention to cut the saddle straps. The rider fell off and was dragged away by his animal.

Aang ran across a T junction and stopped in the middle of the street. Colonel Mongke and his rhino appeared at the other end. They stared at each other and the mercenary produced a constant flame from both arms and charged at Aang. The Avatar ran at him as well, jumped of the wall of alley and propeled himself over the Colonel's head. He extinguished the fire aimed at him and landed on the other side. He had lost the fans and headdress but he lost no time, got back up and made an air scooter on which he hopped on and ran down the street as the Mongke charged him again. He passed under the Colonel's rhino, avoiding his fire, though in turn, the Colonel avoided Aang's jet of air. They faced again, ran at each other, and the monk leapt into the air, sailed right through a blast of fire, and kicked the Colonel off his rhino. The Fire Nation soldier crashed through a wall.

Zuko was waiting at the edge of the woods and watching the town exit. After he had lost Chenlian, he had been looking around town all day, determined to confront her this time. And he had seen her with that man. He had frozen, pierced by a now familiar sense of betrayal and along with the pain of this stab wound, he felt his mind blank out, overcome by an all-consuming rage as he looked at that man. When he had seen him leaning in, he had been about to lunge to beat him down, unable to stop once he would have started punching. But Chenlian had pushed him and left. And that look in his eyes... he had noticed his presence! And he was challenging him! But then he had suddenly vanished. And unable to find either him or Chenlian, he had gone to ambush her on the road. And then he saw her come out of town. She entered the forest and soon left the road. When they were out of earshot of any passerby, he silently approached and called out to her.

"Where were you?" He asked harshly.

"Out working, and you?"

"You were with that man! I saw you! I told you not to see him! What are you doing, letting yourself be played by him?!"

"I don't think a thief and spy has any right to judge someone who's doing an honest work. You're too proud to beg but fine with stealing? How is that logical? Being poor isn't not a crime, stealing is. Since you're so hung up on your honor I'll tell you this: you only become shameful once you abandon your virtue." She replied scathingly. She slowly turned to face him. "And even if he's indeed after me and I had any sort of feeling towards him, who are you to decide for me who I should see and who I shouldn't? My brother? My father? Since what happened to my parents, when have you ever believed in me? Sided with me?" Her voice lost its mocking tone and started oozing anger, frustration and pain. Zuko stiffened, at a loss. He had not expected to be accused like this in return. Nor was it Chenlian's type to suddenly snap like that and show pain and weakness. "You never once questioned anything! You're with me when everything's well, and when things went bad for me, you simply gave up saying it couldn't be helped and moved on! And now you're telling me what to do and trying to control my life? Stop screwing with me! Why should I listen to you? I'm not a servant you can discard and reinstate whenever it's convenient! I don't exist for you to order around as you see fit! Stop taking people's affection for granted! Instead of simply expecting others to wait on you like some spoiled brat, why don't you try making a move towards them?! Why don't you try showing even an ounce of consideration for my feelings for a change?!" She snapped, her voice cracking. The young man's eyes widened and he snapped too. He gripped her arms. Shocked, Chenlian instinctively tried to break free. She tripped on a root. Her load dropped on the ground and she fell backwards, Zuko on top of her, his lips on hers. He pulled away.

"And you... what do you know about how I've felt these past years...?! Ever since I first met you you've been much more important to me than you could ever imagine! Stronger, braver, brighter, kinder than anyone else, and yet always so cool about things like you didn't really care. The one people relied on and yet who never let herself rely on anyone. The one who protected people but would never let anyone protect her." He raised himself just enough so that he could look at her in the eyes. "I wanted to surpass you! I wanted to become a man you could rely on and who could protect you! I wanted you to care about me like I cared about you! And then I heard about the coup d'état and how you escaped before being caught again and imprisoned... I wanted to believe you but I didn't know if I could! That you'd betray us... that you'd betray me... even though you had promised! Do you have any idea how painful it was?! And I was sent to search for the Avatar, and just when I thought I was over you, you reappear in my life... as my enemy...! Even though you had promised! And now you've forced yourself into my life again without even considering my feelings, completely messing my life! I get so irritated around you! I lose my control! Sometimes I would stop and realize I've been thinking about you the whole day and it would piss me off! I love you... I love you. I love you! So this time don't ignore my feelings! Don't be so friendly with other guys like it's nothing! Keep your promise and stay with me and only me!" And there was so much adoration and desperation in his eyes, his voice, that Chenlian's breath was taken away. Seconds ticked as they gazed at each other, and entranced by the sheer affection they saw, they drew closer, leant in... their lips brushed, their kiss deepened, and instantly, suddenly, as if this mere contact had shattered the dyke of their emotions, they locked in a fierce embrace. The kiss grew incredibly passionate, intense, before softening to an amazingly tender and loving one. They pulled away, panting slightly, and, mesmerized, kissed again.

_"If I could just be the most important person in his life, then how happy I would be..." How many times did I think that? _Chenlian wondered. _I think I've always wanted to hear those words._ _But because he had people he loved much more, I too tried to shift my feelings. And then, because he was their son, I tried to harden my heart, I tried to hate him too, with all my might, because if I didn't, it would have been too painful, so painful I would be crushed. _But after all, she hadn't been able to. Because he was him, because he was different from his family_. _Even if the circumstances had made it hard for him, deep down, he was a man of justice, mercy, and compassion. He had even tried to save Zhao. And when she had been with the Avatar, he had also tried to 'save' her a number of times, when he had captured her and Katara during the waterbending scroll incident, when they had saved the Avatar from the Pohuai stronghold... and he had exhibited jealousy towards Aang and now he was jealous of Senya..._. It really can't be anybody else but him. I love him. And he loves me. That's why he's angry. That's why he's jealous. And it makes me so happy. He loves me and I hurt him, he was hurt because of his feelings for me. And that too makes me happy. Loving someone so madly like this... I'll never be able to love someone like this again... It can't be anyone but him... I... love him._

Night had fallen. Fireworks were blooming in the sky, and confetti falling like flower blossoms.

"From now on, we'll celebrate a new Avatar Day in honor of the day Avatar Aang saved us from the Rough Rhino Invasion." Mayor Tong declared. The three children were grinning, each holding a bowl. Sokka looked down at the cookie-like figures made to ressemble Aang in his and asked what it was. "That's our new festival food: unfried dough. May we eat it and be reminded of how on this day the Avatar was NOT boiled in oil." He addressed the crowd who cheered. The teens looked uncertain. They each picked up a dough cookie that drooped in their fingers.

"Happy Avatar Day, everyone." Katara said half-heartedly.

"This is by far the worst town we've ever been to." Her brother commented. They contained their disgust and ate a few more cookies.

* * *

**Author's note: here it is, what many of you must have been waiting for... :3 Hope you liked the kiss and confession**

**Anyway, while I usually ignore grumbling quitters who don't have enough manners to mention a single good point or suggestion to improve said story, a word caught my attention: 'separator'. I never thought of using those within a chapter to separate point of views as it's not in my habit (and everything is properly separated in my Word document) but I admit the POV IS kinda jumpy in this fic. **

**So what do you think? Would it ease your reading if I put separators? Should I use them?**

**If enough of you say 'yes please', I'll start adding them from next chapter on (and go back to the previous ones at a later date), and if no one says anything, I'll just continue as is - safe for a few exceptions.**


	30. Broken home

**Author's note: hmm I'm not satisfied with this chapter. I wanted to write more Chenlian/Zuko and bring things better. But it could take months or years before I'm satisfied and I can't make you wait that long so I'm still posting it as imcomplete as I find it. You'll be warned if I manage to improve it. **

**Now as only Powerpuff reviewed (thank you about it :) ), I'll do as she said, and continue as always with no separarators (though there shall be exceptions). **

**Also, don't worry, no matter how bad things may be/look for Chenlian and Zuko, they'll still overcome obstacles and grow as a couple throughout the seasons... ultimately, they'll be together for life, this is my promise to you... even though there will be times when I'll do my best to make you doubt it. I'm evil so yeah... ye be warned :p**

**Concerning the poll, for now the results are 4 votes for Gundam Seed, 4 for Yu Yu Hakusho... and 0 for Avatar XD**

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**Fight 30: Broken home**

Senya equanimously stared at his two guests. Lee was fiercely glaring at him like he'd like nothing more than to rip his throat while protectively standing before Meiling and tightly holding her hand in a possessive grip... and Meiling was smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry, I got caught." She remarked. He could see that.

"She's resigning as of today. She won't be coming back here. So you don't ever come close to her again!" The scarred young man pointed a threatening finger at the young master who sighed.

"Is that really what you want?"

"Well, we should be moving out within the next few days so..." The girl trailed off. It was true that Zuko didn't want to stay in this town where that guy was. And she acknowledged that staying with that man could be dangerous for her, in many ways.

"Alright, I understand." Senya closed his eyes in apparent acceptation. But suddenly, before those two could even react, he closed in and imprisoned Chenlian in a tight embrace. "You were just using me, weren't you? You've bled me dry, made me hope, and now you're just throwing me away. In the end, I only meant this much to you. Such a cruel woman!" His quivering voice cried in his most poignant and disconsolate tone.

Although she had no such intention and hadn't even thought about it, it was true her working for him had served to incite Zuko's jealousy and as a leverage to make him stop stealing. And although Senya and Chenlian were technically only employer and employee, their relationship, meant to be a professional one but continually brought down (by him) to one between man and woman, similar to cat and mouse, could lead to think that she was just a woman cheating him of his money for the sake of her real lover... And of course since it was so difficult to know when he was being sincere, when he wasn't and when he was half sincere, he could also strike Meiling's sensitive chord and make her feel guilty. However, that only half worked and she kept telling him to stop fooling around and causing so much trouble to the very end, even as he kept dancing around with her in his arms to dodge all of Zuko's blows and attempts to claim her back...

"And you're still so cold to me, even to the very end! But it's your cruelty that makes you so desirable. Even if I'm scorched, I pray that these wounds will become a mark tying me to you. I will miss you." He kissed her forehead and finally let her go. Zuko grabbed her by the shoulders and held her tight to him, still menacing the son of the Qi family with his sword. "Go now." He smiled. "Before I give the orders to have Lee arrested."

Meiling stared at him for a time and stopped her childhood friend from flying off the handle. Was he serious or not? Was it sadness she saw in his playful smile? She couldn't understand him after all. But...

"Thank you for everything until now. I pray that you will be well." She bowed deeply and dragged Zuko away.

"Is that really alright, young lord?" An attendant questioned his master who was looking through the window, watching the two guests walking down the street.

"Yes, now was not the time. We'll definitely see each other again anyway. How are my brother and my parents?" He inquired. The aide replied he had received reports that everything was going smoothly on this side too. "Good. Have everything continue as usual. I'll go see her again once this phase of the plan has been completed."

In a town nestled among the mountains, Aang's group was looking at a green bag with a shoulder strap on display. Sokka liked it but it was pricey. His sister suggested buying it since he deserved something nice. He agreed, brightening up, and slumped back down the second after. It was too expensive, He shouldn't.

"Alright, then don't." Katara replied, slightly annoyed by his indecisiveness. The trio walked away but then a few seconds later, Sokka returned. He had decided to buy it after all. In the street, a man gave them a flyer about Master Yu's Earthbending Academy. There was even a coupon on the back. The first lesson was free. Hoping this Master Yu could be the earthbending teacher Aang had been looking for, they headed to the academy.

Aang was dressed in a dark green earthbender training uniform and a round helmet. He was at the end of a line of boys and there was a second line opposite them. They were all younger and smaller than him by a head (at least). He imitated their straight and resolute stance. However, each child of the second line had a rock at his feet but there were no rocks in his line. The master told them to take their stances (The students except Aang assumed earthbending stances) and to strike as if they were punching through their opponents' head. The students lifted their rocks with their bending and threw them at the other line. The monk was hit square in the chest and knocked back into a large ceramic pot behind him, just against the wall a few yards away. The pot exploded. Master Yu approached him with a smile.

"So, are you ready to commit to more lessons ? If you pay for the whole year in advance, I'll bump you up to the next belt." The man inquired. More debris slid down the avatar's face, burying him.

At the end of the lesson, Aang joined his friends at the gate and told hem disappointedly he was not the one. They heard students talking about a certain 'The Boulder' that would have to fight his way through the best earthbenders in the world to get a shot at the champ at an event, called Earth Rumble 6. Aang asked them where this earthbending tournament was.

"It's on the Island of Noneoya – none o' ya business!" One answered smugly, showing off his meaness and stupidity. Both laughed and walked away. Sokka was laughing too as this wise crack was exactly at his level. But Katara looked peeved. She reassured her friend, saying she was going to take care of that. She disappeared around the corner, calling after the 'strong guys'. Meantime, Sokka had already started complaining about his new bag and blaming Aang for having let him buy something he didn't need. Had Chenlian been there, she would have prevented that and he would have listened to her. He dropped the bag and crossed him. Momo jumped down into the bag and settled in for some sleep. Katara returned.

"You ready to find an earthbending teacher ? Because we're going to Earth Rumble 6!" She exclaimed happily. The airbender wondered how she had got them to tell her. "Oh, a girl has her ways." She replied innocently. However, against all expectations, she had not used her feminine charms but her waterbending skills to convince them. She had left them, frozen neck down.

"So, you made me quit my well-paying job, and I made you quit stealing. But that doesn't solve much. Does that mean you're ready to do what needs to be done and be more receptive to suggestions?" Chenlian questioned. But Zuko was still hesitating. "Then, won't you think of it that way? Rather than stay cooped up in a palace surrounded by people whose role is to wear a mask and suck up to you, ignorant of the rest of the world, the true feelings of the people who are down the ladder, this is chance to observe the world. You can meet many people, many different views and ways of life, many different perpectives. There are so many things you can learn if you just open your eyes and ears and stop being self-centered for a moment. When total strangers treat you with more affection and trust than your own family, when you see their happiness, you start learning the meaning of happiness and compassion. You want these people to be happy too, you want to protect them. It isn't bad to have a goal and stick to it. But that doesn't mean you have to close yourself off to everything else."

"You make it sound like we're living in some kind of beautiful place where everything's perfect but the world isn't so nice. Don't you know that well too?"

"Right now, I'm happy because I'm with you, and you care about me. So the rest doesn't really matter." She hugged his arm and leant on his shoulder. At this, the young man felt a warmth in his chest he had never known. Chenlian stopped and took his face in her hands. "Still, if you're worried about me, then you just have to protect me and watch over me, without ever leaving my side." The girl smiled. She looked so lovely, so radiant, so tender... He took her hands and let go, so he could softly touch her face, caress it, stroke her hair as if ascertaining she was truly there. And then, unable to take it, he kissed her, passionately, possessively, with all his ardent love. That brilliance was his and only his. She belonged to him.

In the mountain, people entered a tunnel leading to a very large underground stadium. The arena was rectangular with the Earth Kingdom symbol in the middle. A tower had been built among the stands. The 'ring' was separated by what looked like a moat without water. Strangely, the lower third of the stands was utterly empty but that didn't make the trio second-guess their decision to sit on the front row seats. They just carelessly wondered why no one was sitting there... and got their answer when a massive boulder slammed into the seats right next to them, showering them with dust and debris. At the center of the arena, a man had earthbended an explosion of rock and dirt, creating a column of earth that raised him upwards. It stopped. The man made another motion and the column sank back to floor level. He had long black hair down to his shoulders and a callous, slightly savage appearance. As their host, Xin Fu, he welcomed the audience to Earth Rumble 6. Katara already looked bored since a bunch of guys chuckin' rocks at each other didn't seem very interesting but that was exactly what her brother wanted.

Xin Fu explained the very simple rule: you just had to knock the other guy out of the ring to win. He earthbended himself back to the announcer's tower and presented the first round, the Boulder (a tall beefy guy with a tatoo on his back) versus the Big Bad Hippo (a huge fat man with missing teeth like a hippo). After the usual intimidation/provocation ritual, the fight started.

The Boulder earthbended a rock that shattered harmlessly on his opponent's belly. The fatty caught part in his mouth, crunched on it and spat the pebbles out. The Hippo then began to jump up and down, causing the arena to shake around. The Boulder wobbled backwards on the verge of losing his balance. He reached the edge of the arena, took out a sheet of rock out of the side of the arena and threw it at his opponent who was already celebrating. It hit the Hippo's back and he turns around to face his foe once more. The muscleman, with a tremendous effort, then earthbended a rock with the Hippo on it off the floor and hurled him over the side of the arena. That was the Boulder's victory.

Katara suggested that he became Aang's teacher as he had some good moves but the Avatar wasn't so sure about that. Bumi had said he needed a teacher who listened to the earth. That guy was just listening to his big muscles. He asked Sokka's opinion but he was too busy cheering to listen. Well, he was a sucker for that kind of manly event, masculine appearance, and machismo.

The tournament continued. Next was the Boulder versus Fire Nation Man. The crowd booed loudly as the contestant, dressed indeed in Fire Nation clothes, entered the arena floor waving his Fire Nation flag. He asked the audience to rise for Fire Nation national anthem and started singing 'Fire Lord, my flame burns for thee!' as he dropped on one knee. The crowd threw stones at him. Sokka's hit on the head. The boy yelled at him to return to the Fire Nation. However, the contestant's anger was cut short as he was twisted violently around and sunk into the earthen. Buried up to his shoulders, he could do nothing but stare at the Boulder, who raised himself up on a huge column of earth. Petrified, Fire Nation Man begged him to stop but his opponent grinned and jumped off. His legs bent at the knees, holding his feet with his hands, he hit the ground in front of Fire Nation Man, who was projected high into the air and out of the arena on impact. He landed on the rock next to the children. Sokka cheered. A guy riding a badgermole came to level the arena thanks to the animal earthbending abilities that acted as a zamboni.

The Boulder's streak of quick and easy victories continued... against a muscular man with a slight resemblance to a mad doctor and using gopher techniques, a thin one with a wrestling mask, and another with a painted face. And then, finally, the match against the champion: the Blind Bandit. And that champion was 'just' a small young girl with truly unseeing milk white eyes. She had black hair in a large bun held by a yellow and green headband and wore a green and cream uniform as well as a cape. She was holding a large belt with the earthbending emblem – the symbol of the champion – aloft. The crowd chanted 'bandit' as two young women removed her cape and took the belt. Katara doubted she was really blind but not Aang. And Sokka... was sure she was going to go down.

"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young, blind girl." The Boulder taunted.

"Sounds to me like you're scared, Boulder." The Champ mocked, pointing.

"The Boulder's over his conflicted feelings, and now he's ready to bury you... in a rock-a-lanche!" He declared, piqued, after a time.

"Whenever you're ready... The Pebble." She threw her head back and laughed arrogantly. And that laugh... sounded like the girl in white's laugh from the vision Aang had had in the swamp. And now that he thought about it... they had the same face too! It was her?!

The match started. Despite his bravado, the Boulder was sweating profusely. He yelled and charged. However, there were reasons why she was absolute champion despite being a 'small blind girl'. To compensate for her blindness, her hearing and touch had reached an extraordinary acuteness. And she had acquired another skill: seismic sense which enabled her to detect even the most minute vibrations in the ground to perceive, 'visualize' most aspects of her environement like objects, plants, animals, people... it basically acted as a sonar. It could only work through earth but it gave her a clear advantage compared to other earthbenders as the Boulder would soon learn.

She changed her stance, which was very different from the usual earthbending stances. She swung her right foot in an arc and struck the ground. The small shockwave churned up the ground like a gopher and headed toward her opponent at great speed and took a quick, sudden and sharp turn just as the Boulder put his foot back on the ground, meeting it. He dropped down onto the ground in a perfect split, which caused him extreme pain due to his lack of flexibility. Momo squeaked and Sokka's look of adulation and excitement turned into a look of pain and compassion. The Bandit made a chopping motion with her right hand and three stalagmites erupted from the ground and ejected The Boulder from the ring. He slammed into the wall beneath the stands and slid down into the crevice. The girl's face split into a crafty and satisfied smile. Xin Fu announced the results. The winner and still the champion was The Blind Bandit. Sokka cried. His sister incredulously wondered how she had done that.

"She waited... and listened." Aang replied with an appreciative smile. He had finally found the one he had been looking for. Xin Fu jumped onto the arena. He was holding a green bag. To make things more interesting, he was offering up this sack of gold pieces to anyone who could defeat the Blind Bandit. There was a long silence until Aang spoke up and stepped on the arena. The crowd noisily approved. Xin Fu returned to his announcer tower.  
Sokka yelled at Aang to avenge the Boulder.

"Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here ?" The champion taunted. But the Avatar didn't really want to fight. He wanted to talk. Sokka booed him as he didn't want any talking, earning himself a good smack from his sister. No booing at Aang. The boy stepped forward. The Bandit smiled and stomped the ground with the side of her left foot, causing a large rock to grow out of the ground underneath Aang. He should have been launched into the air but he weightlessly jumped away and landed softly on the ground behind her. She turned around with an upset expression on her face. "Somebody's a little light on his feet. What's your fighting name, the Fancy Dancer?" She taunted again but this time more angrily. The boy smiled and innocently shrugged. Another rock erupted from the ground and hurled the male bender into the air. He somersaulted and landed behind her again. He tried to talk to her but she wouldn't listen and raised a boulder she threw at him in a straight line, forcing Aang to jump and airbend the rock back.

However, he had made a mistake. He should have directed it straight at her to keep his disguise. Instead he shot two jets of wind, one for the rock, and one for the Bandit who was blown back out of the arena, shocking everyone. The audience and Water Tribe siblings cheered. The fallen champion walked away, clearly upset. Aang climbed a little down the stairs and he calls after her.

"Please listen! I need an earthbending teacher, and I think it's supposed to be you!"

"Whoever you are, just leave me alone." The girl created a door in the wall and closed it upon her passage. The monk reached it too late and he returned, sad, to the arena where he was given the belt and the gold, or rather when Sokka took them after having hugged Xin Fu. The Water Tribesman put his arm around his friend and congralutated, but that didn't cheer him up the slightest.

Chenlian was playing the pipa. She had had to change town but she was as thriving and popular as always. Her beaming expressions heightened her rose-colored sound for melodies full of love that drew many people of all ages, status and gender. Around her, everyone was smiling. And although Zuko didn't feel all well about 'lending' his beloved to others or letting them see those expressions, he also understood them. And he had also come to understand her a little bit. Seeing everyone smile happily, one couldn't help but feel their heart lifting a bit. But after all, seeing your loved smile from the heart was the greatest joy. Even though it still didn't reach deep enough... there was still this subdued, confused, but persistent sense of unease... was that really true happiness? Was that really enough? Was this really what they should be doing, where they must be? She would also regularly perform sword dances which attracted many customers too. Well, those could also serve as training so he was more permissive with them. But suddenly, while in the middle of one, her sword came down on him, forcing him to block. That stunned everyone. The spectators made another circle as she attacked him again. But she was smiling. He dodged and retaliated. She paried again, and like this, with her fluid, mesmerizing movements, she drew him into her sword dance.

The trio was heading to the earthbending academy in search of the Blind Bandit. Sokka was glad he had bought the bag now since it perfectly matched the belt. His little sis sarcastically replied that it was a big relief. Two boys (the two Katara had frozen earlier) were punching dirt contained in two huge pots. They didn't look very happy to see her again. She glared menacingly and they flinched. Aang asked where the Blind Bandit lived but they didn't know. She was a mystery. She showed up to fight, then disappeared. The little monk looked so disappointed that the waterbender threatened the students again... in vain as they really didn't know anything about her. The Avatar changed tactics and asked about a girl in a white dress with a pet flying boar.

"Well, a flying boar is the symbol of the Bei Fong family. They're the richest people in town, probably the whole world."

"No, the richest of the world are the Wang family."

"Do they have a daughter?" Aang questioned.

"No, they have two sons, and their symbol is the peacock."

"But the Beifong don't have a daughter either."

"Flying boar is good enough for me. Let's check it out." And the three left, the students glaring at their back.

While in one of the tunnels of the Earth Rumble stadium, the Boulder and Win Fu were discussing. The contestant was convincing the announcer that the kid earlier hadn't used earthbending. The Blind Bandit had just fallent out of the ring. She must have taken a dive and split the money with the kid. Full of rage, Xin Fu punched the wall. Rocks fell, some on his foot. He screamed but soon recovered. Nobody cheated Xin Fu!

Aang, Sokka, and Katara were spying the flying boar crest on the gate of a beautiful walled estate of consequent size with a lovely garden. That was the boar from his vision. They climbed over the wall and ran into a thicket. Suddenly a huge surge of earth threw them all into the air. They screamed as they fell back, Sokka onto the ground and Aang and Katara into nearby bushes. Aang looked up, the Blind Bandit was there, now in her fancy gown. She asked twinkle toes what he was doing here. Aang was curious to know how she knew it was him. Sokka told him not to answer to twinkle toes. It wasn't manly! His sibling reminded him he was the one whose bag matched his belt. It was usually women who coordinated clothes. The Beifong daughter wanted to know how they had found her.

"Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earthbender who listens to the earth. And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and-"

"What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar, and if he doesn't master earthbending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord." Katara interrupted Aang to go to the essential.

"Not my problem. Now get out of here or I'll call the guards." The earthbender stuck her palm in Katara's face, surprising her.

"Look, we all have to do our part to win this war. And yours is to teach Aang earthbending." Sokka helped. The Bandit walked away and called the guards. The trio of intruders fled. Two guards arrived and asked Toph what happened. She thought she had heard someone and got scared. She sounded so pitiful they fell for her act and gently admonished her. She knew her father didn't want her wandering the grounds without supervision. From atop the wall, Aang stared, miffed, as the soldiers escorted the girl away. But he was a resourceful child, and soon, his face broke into a cunning smile.

The Beifong spouses were sitting on a dais and enjoying tea from a gaiwan cup. It was customary to first take in the scent after lifting the lid before drinking in order to fully enjoy the tea. Toph's father, Lao, was pleased to hear that his daughter's private lessons were going well, but he wanted to be sure that she was not trying anything too dangerous. Master Yu and Toph were there too, sitting on chairs. The teacher reassured him. He was keeping her at the beginner's level that consisted of basic forms and breathing exercises only. A servant entered and announced that they had a visitor, which angered his employer. Who thought they were so important they could just come to his home unannounced ?!

"Uh, the Avatar, sir." The man replied. Toph reacted slightly at the mention of the Avatar. She blew a stray strand of hair away from her face, looking even more annoyed than before.

And so, the Avatar and his friends were invited to have dinner with them. Lao was at one end, Aang, Katara and Sokka (eating like a pig) on his left and Toph, Poppy and Yu on his right. A servant placed a bowl of steaming rice before Toph. Her father told him to blow on it as it was too hot for her. Aang took it upon himself and created a tiny whirlwind that zoomed across the table and out over her dish, cooling it. Everyone clapped. Mrs. Beifong said it was an honor to have the Avatar visit them. Her husband was curious to know how much longer he thought the war was going to last. Aang intended to defeat the Fire Lord by the end of summer, but (and he looked suggestively over at Toph) he couldn't do that without finding an earthbending teacher first. Lao suggested the services of Master Yu, the finest teacher in the land who had been teaching Toph since she was little.

"Then she must be a great earthbender, probably good enough to teach someone else..." Aang praised. But that unnecessary comment made Toph earthbend a shock wave at him underneath the table. He hopped up in his seat in pain and surprise and glared at her. The little girl smiled innocently and ate. Yu and Lao contradicted the Avatar. Toph was still learning the basics and sadly because of her blindness, it was doubtful she would ever become a true master. The three travellers looked at each other. "Oh, I'm sure she's better than you think she is." This caused the annoyed blind girl to send another shock wave at Aang, knocking his chair a little, just enough so that his face would fall into the bowl of soup in front of him. He righted himself, not very pleased. The Water Tribe siblings and Lao stared quizzically. Again, Toph ate innocently. The monk smacked his face in frustration before another cunning grin split his face. His airbender sneeze blew all the food across the table, splattering Toph but also her mother and earthbending teacher. When the bowl covering her face fell, she angrily stood up and asked what his problem was. He did the same and returned the question. The children glared at each other. Poppy Beifong smiled as she wiped herself off and suggested moving to the living room for dessert.

The trio was given a (large) room for the night at the Beifong estate. Aang was petting Appa at the window and bidding him good night. The siblings were on a bed-like couch and Momo in Sokka's green bag. Toph arrived and stopped at the threshold of the door. The Avatar turned around, yelped in surprise, and assumed a fighting stance. Well, that was expected as her attitude to him had always been confrontational. She told him to relax and apologised about dinner. She wanted to call a truce. The two children went to stroll into the garden and talk.

Toph was walking along the guardrail of the bridge, and jumped down on the ground. She told him about herself. Even though she was born blind, she had never had a problem seeing. She could see with earthbending, kind of like seeing with her feet. She felt the vibrations in the earth, and saw where everything was... him, the tree, even ants. The airbender looked around for ants he couldn't see that were actually on a nearby rock. He was amazed. She was frustrated that her parents didn't understand her and always treated her like she was helpless. That was why she had become The Blind Bandit. Aang asked why she was staying if she wasn't happy but they were her parents, where else was she supposed to go ? The Avatar smiled and suggested that she went with him, Sokka and Katara. Indeed, they could go wherever they wanted, no one was telling them what to do... that was the life, but not her life.

Suddenly, Toph heard something. She dropped to her knees and placed a hand on the ground. They were being ambushed. She grabbed Aang's arm and began to run. Rapidly pursuing them underground, the Gopher passed them and turned as he appeared in front of them, blocking their path. But just as the two kids took their battle stance, metal cases dropped onto them, trapping them. Each had a window with metal bars for their faces. The Boulder, the Big Bad Hippo, the Gecko, the Fire Nation Man and Xin Fu were there too.

"I think you kids owe me some money." Xin Fu commented sinisterly.

Iroh returned to the cave. The fire was burning. Chenlian wasn't there. She had gone to hunt and gather some herbs, tubers and such, though surely she was going to be back soon. He noticed his nephew had some serious shopping as he inspected a gold tea service set but wondered where he had got the money . Even with Chenlian's earnings that thing must have cost a fortune... Zuko eluded by asking if he liked new teapot .

"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup." The old man answered as he walked over to Zuko who was lying with his back to the opposite wall of the cave, resting against an old dead tree trunk. It was then Chenlian silently returned. Hearing their voices, she leant against the rock out of their sight and listened. "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by. And much of it was thanks to Chenlian." He put his hand on his nephew's shoulder. "But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honor in poverty."

"There's no honor for me without the Avatar."

"Zuko... Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now. Or are you going to turn against her again after all she did for you?" Iroh sighed.

"Then there is no hope at all." The exiled prince replied abruptly as he turned to get up.

"No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair. You must not allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength. Don't you have a perfect example near you?" The wise elder held him back. The teen looked back at his uncle for a moment, then stood up and left.

Not long later, Chenlian entered the cave and put down the basket containing her catch and harvest. She smiled sadly at Iroh and asked him to take care of these. And she went after her precious friend and lover.

"Zuko..." She said softly. He didn't turn back to her. She walked up to him and faced him. "What is honor to you? Is it a medal, a title? Is it something that is given to you? Or is it behaving honourably, by doing what is right, and just? Does a king who tramples on others and ravage countries has more honor than a farmer who sacrifices his life to protect his family and his home? Between your father who'd burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground if he could and the Avatar who's trying to end a hundred years of pain and tears and bloodshed, who do you think is right? Is it really alright for only you to be happy when everyone else is suffering and dying? Won't you let him go?" Then she slowly, very slowly, raised her hands to cup his cheeks, as if afraid to scare him and make him run away or reject her. But he let her. "Am I... not enough?" Her moist imploring eyes were gazing straight at him, like searching for his heart in order for her to gently, warmly embrace it and protect it. She was once more baring her heart to him. She looked so frail, so tender, and still so caring.

He loved her so much that he could not help but tightly hold her in his arms. She loved him too. But even though he loved her so much he couldn't put it into words and they were together, something still wasn't right. He wasn't truly happy. Something was missing. This wasn't how he wanted it to be, how things were supposed to be... Leaving like peasants, like beggars, with Chenlian earning all the money and him just following her lead, even though he wanted to be the one to provide for her, to protect her, to be the one she would rely on... and even though he was the crown prince of a nation, and she was a noblewoman of that same nation. It was like she had gotten too accustomed to living among commoners that she had forgotten who she was by birth. She should think about protecting her nation first. And for that the higher your rank, the more people you could protect! They should be spending their days in the Royal Palace, not a cave! But aside from capturing the Avatar, what other ways could there be? And regardless of his feelings, Chenlian and the Avatar were friends, she would stop him from capturing the Avatar, and Chenlian herself was a wanted traitor. Were there any way for them to keep being together even back in the Fire Nation, a way for her father to forgive them both and accept them? Would that solve everything? Zuko loved Chenlian, and he loved his father, and he wanted to be loved by them, he wanted them both. And Chenlian's words from before were also still tugging at his mind.

_"Your father is not the man you think he is. I know things about him that you don't. I discovered the real reason behind my imprisonment and the false accusations against my parents that led them to their death... That's why I'd rather die than obey your father." _

He couldn't believe that his father truly wanted to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground like she said. It wasn't alright like this. He squeezed the girl in his arms even tighter. He had to leave them momentarily. He had to think, to be on his own... Chenlian was so important to him that just her presence influenced him, confused him.

The Water Tribe siblings, Mr and Mrs Beifong and Master Yu had gathered at the place of the kidnapping. A short sword pinning a scroll was stuck to the ground. Sokka picked it up and his sister took the scroll and read it. "If you want to see your daughter again, bring 500 gold pieces to the arena." It was signed "Xin Fu and The Boulder."

"I can't believe it." Sokka began somberly suddenly grabbing the paper, running a little and dropping to his knees. "I have the Boulder's autograph!" He screamed elatedly. His sibling watched his usual antics irratatedly. There was no time for that, it wasn't an autograph and it was not like that sign was more important than their friends' safety. Lao asked Master Yu for his help in getting his daughter back and of course the siblings went with them.

"Poor Toph. She must be so scared." Mrs. Bei Fong sobbed and prayed before the hole left by the metal cage.

But meanwhile, in the arena Toph was making a ruckus in her cage and angrily (and fearlessly) challenging her abductors so she could smack those grins off their faces. The two cages were hanging from the ceiling. Well, she had certainly imagined them smirking triumphantly as she would have done in their place but as he remarked flatly, Xin Fu was not smiling.

Lao and the others arrived for the exchange. Sokka dropped the bag of gold that Yu sent over with his earthbending. Xin Fu picked it up and confirmed its contents. He gave a signal and a case lowered and the Boulder freed Toph. She ran over to her father. He put his hand on her shoulder and guided her away, Master Yu in tow. Katara asked about Aang. The Earth Rumble announced unrolled a wanted picture of the airbender. The Fire Nation would certainly pay a hefty price for the Avatar. He ordered the siblings to get out of his ring. Sokka and Katara wanted to fight but all the contestants of the earthbending tournament came and stood by Xin Fu's side. All of those benders against just the two of them... The siblings looked anxiously at Aang who waved them off and told them to go. He'd be okay.

They backed away and went to the tunnel entrance where they called out to Toph. There were too many of them. They needed an earthbender. They needed her! Lao squeezed his child's hand tighter and angrily told them off. His daughter was blind. She was blind and tiny and helpless and fragile. She could not help them. However, to his shocked, she snapped her hand back.

"Yes, I can." She replied strongly and joined the waterbender.

Xin Fu and his gang were walking off the arena at the other end with The Hippo holding Aang's metal case on his shoulder when suddenly a huge, jagged rock erupted in front of them blocking their path. They all turned to the Blind Bandit, Sokka and Katara. Toph pointed at them and ordered them to let him go. She had beaten all of them before, and she'd do it again! The Boulder took issue with that Hippo threw Aang's cage across the arena. Sokka and Katara move up to attack but the Bandit blocked them with her arms.

"Wait. They're mine." She declared as the tournament contestants charged towards her. The siblings looked surprised but let her. As her enemies closed in, she blasted the ring in a widening shot from her feet to the other side of the ring like an avalanche of rocks. The arena was engulfed in a dust cloud. The Blind Bandit entered not bothered the slightest by the low visibility. She first encountered Fire Nation Man who jolted, startled, when he saw her. He recovered and moved his foot slightly, preparing for his attack. Sensing it, a small smile emerged on her lips. Her opponent raised a stream of earth from the ground next to him and shot it at the girl who moved slightly, dodging it, and simultaneously launching her own attack, causing a series of rocks to burst forth from the floor. The last one blasted Fire Nation Man out of the ring.

Meantime, Katara and Sokka were trying to open Aang's case. The warrior was hammering at the lock on the front with a rock, while the waterbender was trying to open the bottom with her hands. Aang was yelling to hit harder as if Sokka hadn't thought of that before on his own, or as if he had a reason to slack off.

The Gecko was walking on all fours through the dust cloud. A pebble hit his head and he turned to see Toph. She was smirking. The man jumped horizontally into the air and threw the two rocks he had taken at her. She paried and they crashed behind her.  
As the Gecko fell back to the ground, The Bandit struck the ground several times with forming pillars of rock that hit her opponent in the stomach each time he fell and made him bounce from pillar to pillar, until the last bounce ejected him from the arena. He slammed into Fire Nation Man as he landed. The Gopher erupted form the floor behind her and hurled a rock at her that she caught and threw right back at him. The impact knocked him right through the floor and into Fire Nation Man and the Gecko.

Sokka finally managed to free Aang who came out, ready to fight but his friend stopped him, shook his head and pointed. There was really no need to interfere. The Hippo ran out of the dusk cloud swinging one of the Earth Kingdom stone but stopped as The Boulder got flung out of the cloud and crashed next to him. He got back up as the Blind Bandit emerged from the cloud. The two big men tried to intimidate her. Lao was terrified for his daughter. But those two were really just gorillas monkeying around, and Toph wasn't a frail baby girl but a great earthbender. She heard something coming from behind. The Hippo and The Boulder charged at her while Headhunter, the painted face man, swangs down on her holding onto a rope and ready to throw a rock at her. Toph made a few motions and the whole stone circle on which she and the two other benders were standing turned. Unable to maneuver, Headhunter slammed into the Hippo and Boulder just as they are about to strike her. They collapsed in a heap and she ejected them out of the ring. They crashed into the three other losers below.

Master Yu was in awe. He had never known or imagined that Toph could be amazing like thin. But although no longer scared for his daughter, Lao still wasn't convinced. The Bandit earthbended the dust away. There was still one opponent left, Xin Fu himself. He cracked his neck. Toph spat. They circled around each other. It was the man who initiated the attack. He launched boulders in rapid succession. She quickly raised two triangular sheets of rock in front of her as a shield. The rocks bounced off. After the last one she projected one half of her shield. It missed as he launched himself into the air to avoid it. As he spun in mid air, his hand delved into the earth, scooped a chunk of floor of the arena and threw it at her. However, thanks to her seismic and fighting sense, she had anticipated the attack which allowed her to avoid it. She returned fire, and being unable to defend or dodge as he was still in midair, Xin Fu was blasted out of the ring and crashed in between Lao and Yu before falling into the pit below. Aang and Katara smiled and ran to her while Sokka fainted, jaw dropped.

"She's the greatest earthbender I've ever seen!" Master Yu praised his student. But far from feeling proud, her father could hardly be more consternated. Then everyone but Yu returned to the Beifong estate. It was time for Toph to explain herself to her parents...

"Dad, I know it's hard for you to see me this way... but the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earthbender. And I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me. But I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend. So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me." Toph spoke her mind at long last. Aang, Sokka and Katara were sitting on a bench and listening silently.

"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something." Her father reassured her.

"It has?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom. From now on, you will be cared for and guarded 24 hours a day."

"But dad!"

"We are doing this for your own good, Toph." Poppy supported her husband. Lao instructed the guards to escort the Avatar and his friends out. They were no longer welcome here.

"I'm sorry, Toph." Aang whispered.

"I'm sorry, too. Good bye, Aang." The blind girl apologized too as a tear streaked down her face.

Appa and the children were on a cliff overlooking the Beifong estate and its surroundings. Katara tried to reassure Aang. They were goinf to find him a teacher. There were plenty of amazing earthbenders out there. But Aang knew there was no one like her. Sokka was already in the saddle polishing the champion belt around his waist. The two benders climbed on the bison too. Suddenly, they heard the bushes rustling and saw Toph emerging and running to them, breathing heavily. She was dressed into her earthbender uniform too. Surprised, the Avatar asked what she was doing here . She told him his dad changed his mind and she was free to travel the world.

"Well, we'd better get out of here – before your dad changes his mind again." Sokka commented. The earthbender agreed. It was a good idea.

"You're gonna be a great teacher, Toph." Aang affirmed.

"Speaking of which, I want to show you something." The earthbending master said. The monk airbended himself down but as he landed she earthbended a rock from the ground, throwing Aang into a tree. "Now we're even. Um, I'll take the belt back." She extended her hand to the sky, satisfied to have claimed back her championship. Sokka unhooked the belt and dropped it on her. It hit her head and made her fall. He apologized unconvincingly. Well, both could be quite petulant.

However, Lao had called both Yu and Xin Fu to his house. A servant brought a chest. He knew the two were very different... but he believed they had a common interest... the chest opened. It was full of gold. The two earthbenders glanced at each other with extremely cold, cunning, and greedy eyes. Lao accused the Avatar of having kidnapped his daughter, and he wanted them to do whatever it took to bring her back home. And unaware of the consequences of her actions, Toph closed her eyes, smiling contentely on Appa's saddle.

"Uncle, I thought a lot about what you said." Zuko returned to the cave with his uncle and girlfriend were waiting for him. The elder seemed pleased.

"You did? Good, good."

"It's helped me realize something. We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. Chenlian, I'm sorry... especially after everything I said and did to you... but I must leave. I need to find my own way." Zuko looked at her without malice, without hesition. He looked at her with love, and pain, begging her to understand.

"I knew you'd do that..." She hung her head and sighed deeply. Iroh looked down and slumped slightly in sadness. And so, sometime later, Zuko picked up a pack and began to walk away. His uncle told him to wait and lead the ostrich horse to him and placed the reigns in his nephew's hands. He mounted it. Chenlian was there too. But surprised she also had her pack.

"I'll come with you just for a short while. I understand you need some time alone to think properly about what you want without any interference. But I think it would be best if you had all the information. It might help you. That's why I decided to tell you everything. I'll tell you the truth you wanted to know about myself, my family, and yours. Even if you don't believe me at least I hope you won't brutally reject me like you would have done back then. Will you listen?" The girl inquired, looking up at her childhood friend with a sad smile. After a time, he held out his hand to her and helped her up. "See you later, Iroh." She said her goodbyes. The former prince glanced one last time at his uncle and they galloped away.


	31. Wanderings

**Fight 31: Wanderings**

"What I'm going to tell you will be the truth. But you don't want to hear it, you'll regret it. Even so, I want you to listen, without interupting, even if you want to scream and call me a liar or deny everything. It's alright if you don't believe me immediately. Just think about it and don't reject me now. I'm telling you because I want to be able to trust you, and that you've become strong enough to accept that truth and me. " Chenlian warned, stalling for time. She finally understood Aang's habit to stall. Because Zuko's opinion mattered so much to her, she was scared and had such difficulty finding the courage to believe in him. She had already suffered enough. She was doing her best not to show it, but she was so terrorized that her face wasn't as straight as she hoped it to be. Although she could keep her voice from quivering, she couldn't erase the fear inside. And also, the more she tried to keep things, the more she would tremble. One of Zuko's arms encircled her reassuringly but he did not utter a word. She smiled gratefully and touched his arm. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath. "After I'm done, take your time to think and decide what you want. Then act and see things through." She looked back at him with a more confident smile and started recounting.

After Ozai's ascension, the war councils changed. New heads appeared, overly zealous close to the new Fire Lord, the opinion of the old ones were crushed, all those who spoke differently from his views were dismissed one way or another. Military cruelty became common place. Her father has risen against all those practices and he also believed that Ozai had a hand in Azulon's death, and Iroh's ousting. It had all happened too fast and unnaturally. And she supported him. And so did her mother. They had simply wanted the Fire Lord to correct the deviations. Now that he was on the throne, that he had what he wanted, it should have been alright to end the malpractices. It was true they were rallying support but only so their voice would be heard. But because of that, they were considered dangerous. Because her father, Zhong, was an important and well-liked figure, he couldn't be dispatched easily. So Ozai used fear to get the supporters to betray Chenlian's father, testify against him and her mother who had also considerably used her influence for his sake. Her parents' position had also been greatly weakened by her grandfather Jeong Jeong's desertion.

That was how they had been framed... and exiled. And they were killed because even in exile, her parents were dangerous. Her mother could use her brother-in-law's connections. Her uncle was a properous merchant after all. And her father, due to his righteousness on the battlefield, had gained even his enemies' great respect, and the fierce loyalty of his men. Why were people of power so afraid of having the truth be known? It would be so nice if there was a world where everyone could know the truth and speak their mind with freedom, without having to fear for their lives.

She also told him how at that time Ozai, trying to establish his authority, sought more 'power', a strong-arm tactic to subdue all enemies in one go. The idea was to fuse the spirit of a dragon, with a human under their control. Because that power didn't come from this world, their bending would be stronger than a human's, and not bound to the sun. But because it was a dangerous operation, they couldn't use just anyone. It had to be someone they could discard in case something went wrong, and still someone with strength. And he preferred keeping those faithful in reserve. Well, there were lots of ways to try and control people. And they had the perfect guinea pig at hand, with the perfect excuse to justify their doings: 'redeem yourself and your parents'. She revealed the Fire Lord's plot which through deception, resulted the dragon merging with her, causing this scar on her chest he had been so curious about, followed by Guang's rampage and their escape.

From then started her – their – life as fugitives. Because she was a precious experiment, the pursuit was always hot on their trail. And because she was a firebender, she had no ally. She and the dragon, Guang, learned from each other, and from the world. They saw the reality of war, the truth behind the Fire Nation's so-called greatness. They saw the world being reduced to ashes, thousands of people dying, fleeing, losing everything they cared about, the cruelty and oppression of the Fire Nation army. And they resolved to end that. They had lost their faith in the Fire Nation's upper echelon who would sacrifice their families, their people, and the world for their ambition. The Fire Nation did not need to trample on others to be great. Someone had to put the Nation back on the correct path. And Chenlian was too partial. That was when they had chosen to help the Avatar should he reappear during their lifetime. Thanks to Guang, she had awoken to spirituality. That was how her spirit could visit parts of the world, or the Spirit World. That was how she could talk to Avatar Roku. She also told him Roku's prophecy. Upon the return of Sozin's comet by the end of the summer, Fire Lord Ozai was going to use its power to finish the war once and for all, just like Sozin had used its power to wipe out the airbenders. If he succeeded, even the Avatar wouldn't be able to restore balance to the world. But the girl did not pipe a word about how much she had suffered then.

"Zuko, I know you love your father and want to believe in him, that he can be good. And I must seem horrible for saying those things to you. But I fell in love with you, and I want to believe in you too. So if you love me, won't you try to believe in me too? Surely, you must have seen, heard things to support my claims... I know it's hard... but... so..." Chenlian had managed to keep her voice neutral until now. She had already put that past behind her. Thanks to Aang, Katara and Sokka, after traveling with them, her hatred had been fading away before she noticed and she had gained distance and composure. If you could breathe, and walk and meet people, if you could love someone, then hate will disappear. Hate cannot last. Nothing can be created from hate. She had learned that.

But only Zuko was different. When it came to him, she was always at a loss. Because she cared so much, she'd grow impatient, angry, upset, and blunder. Because she loved him so much, she was so anxious and desperate. She just wanted him to turn to her, to see her for who she was, and accept her, love her. As a noble of the Fire Nation, as her parents' daughter, she would fulfil her duty whatever the cost and protect all those who had their backs against the wall. As an individual, she was tenaciously loyal to her friends. But as a woman, Chenlian didn't care about anyone but Zuko. And now that she was facing imminent rejection, that desperation overflowed from her voice and from her bowed, trembling, and frail-looking back... to the extent the young man could not help but hold her tighter despite how confused he was inside.

"But... even if you don't believe me now, I'll keep trying until my feelings get across." However, even though there was fear in her tone, there was also a strong resolution. Zuko was saturating. It was too much. What she had said was indeed very hard to believe. He might admit the truth of some elements as he recalled particular events and words, like what he had seen at the North Pole. But although he couldn't remember an instance when Chenlian had lied to him, even though it was plainly impossible that she was lying to him given the state she was in... his heart still couldn't accept what she had said. He couldn't accept that his father could be the man she had described, and that he could have done such things to her. Zuko loved Chenlian, and his heart ached so much at the thought of what she could have endured. But she had to be wrong! There must be a mistake!

The young man let her lean against him. They simply stayed like this, holding onto each other, without a word. Exhausted, the girl fell asleep. Later, they arrived at an abandonned village. All the houses had been damaged. But he managed to spot a bed that was still in passable condition through a broken window. Zuko dismounted very carefully and slowly took Chenlian in his arms as to not wake her up. He carried her inside and very gently put her down. He stared at her sleeping face for a time and tucked a few strands of hair away. Then the banished prince cupper her cheek, leant in and kissed her lips. Seconds ticked by and by. Her eyes did not open. He left, climbed back on his mount and rode away. Chenlian stood up and walked to the window where she watched Zuko moving further and further away from her until she could no longer see him. She punched the wall.

"He's really left me, that idiot!" She touched her lips and smiled faintly. "But..." She couldn't leave him after all. Then she felt Guang's sullenness. He was discontent with her choice. But he was also supporting her. Her smile broadened and she touched her chest. "Sorry, and thank you."

In the wilderness, Zuko rode the ostrich horse over a suspension bridge. Because it was old, a plank gave way and the animal almost lost its balance. Zuko acted quickly to right the animal and continue crossing the bridge. There was barely any vegetation except dead trees and patches of short highly resistant grass. The vagrant stopped his mount when he smelled something. He saw a piece of meat cooking over a campfire and clutched his grumbling stomach. He moved his hand to the hilt of his broadswords. But then he noticed the man kneeling down before his pregnant wife who was resting against a tree. He lovingly rubbed her belly and smiled at her. Zuko released his grip and hung his head in resignation before riding forward. He might have stooped low but not so much that he'd steal from a pregnant woman. And since he had no affinity to the Spirit World, he was unable to see the dragon spirit and ridden by a young woman with mahogany hair hovering above him.

He rode across a field, almost asleep in the saddle. The mental and physical exhaustion, the hunger, the thirst, the heat... were taking their toll on him. He tried to take a drink from his water skin but it is empty. The landscape was strewn with large earth coins embedded in the earth. A number of them were partly broken. Such an unnatural setting was a clear sign that this place had once been a battlefield. And judging by their weathered state, it seemed to have occurred a long, long time ago. The fatigue often caused his eyesight to blur, his eyelids to fall, still he fought sleep back and jerked himself awake. He was swaying again when he had a vision of a beautiful woman with long dark hair wearing visible Fire Nation clothing, turning her back on him and disappearing in the darkness. He woke with a start.

He arrived at a village. Several Earth Kingdom soldiers were playing a dice game. When the one rolling got the right combination, he cheered a bit too much and his compatriots hit him in retaliation. The soldiers watched the stranger who warily looked back at them and stopped at a stall. The teen dismounted and asked for some water, a bag of feed, and something hot to eat. He showed the two coins he had. That was not enough here for a hot meal. The merchant could only get him two bags of feed. Zuko looked down in despair, the gambling soldiers returned to their game as the young man glanced to the side at the sound of some laughter. A few kids were peeking from around the corner of the stall. A child handed his friend an egg, who threw it at the gambling vigilantes. It hit a player on the head and the kids ran off. The soldiers got up and looked over to see Zuko's back to them, the street otherwise empty.

"Hey! You throwing eggs at us stranger?" The leader, Gow, more richly dressed than the others, accused him.

"No."

"You see who did throw it?"

"No." The exiled turned and put his hand on his sword hilt.

"That's your favorite word, 'no'?" A soldier got angry at him.

"The egg had to come from somewhere." Gow reasoned.

"Maybe a chicken flew over." Zuko cracked with a straight voice and expression as he turned back to the merchant. A soldier could not help but laugh, however, he was instantly silenced by a look from his leader. The vendor put two bags of feed on the counter. Gow grabbed them before Zuko could touch them and threw them to one of his men. Although it was punishment for his smart mouth, that was still thievery.

"Thanks for your contribution. The army appreciates your support. You better leave town. Penalty for staying is a lot steeper than you can afford stranger... Trust me." The bullies' boss tapped the war hammer hanging from his belt. And so, the banished prince those people get away just like this. It was smarter to keep a low profile. The merchant complained about those soldiers. They were supposed to protect them from the fire nation, but they were just a bunch of thugs.

Zuko walked back to his ostrich horse. A bright eyed boy appeared on the other side as he is about to hop up and thanked him for not ratting him out. Without a word, the scarred young man got on and started riding away. The child looked disconcerted then smiled a second later. He got hold of the animal's bridle.

"I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich horse for you. Come on, I owe you." And without waiting for an answer that didn't come anyway, the kid led the Famished Prince (who grabbed his noisy tummy) away.

They arrived at a farm. A variety of hybrid pigs were oinking. The little one noted no one could even sneak up upon them. Well, no kidding. The child took the beast in a small barn while his father, Gansu arrived to greet the new comer. He asked Zuko if he was a friend of Lee's? Lee came back all excited and told his dad how this guy just stood up to the soldiers. By the end, he practically had them running away! His mother, Sela, came over and wondered if this guy had a name. When 'the guy' stammered, her husband replied he didn't have to say who he was if he didn't want to. Anyone who could hold their own against those bully 'soldiers' was welcome here. Those men should be ashamed to wear Earth Kingdom uniforms.

"The real soldiers are off fighting the war, like Lee's big brother Sen Su. Supper's going to be ready soon. Would you like to stay?" Sela inquired. Zuko turned her down but she wasn't easily put off. If he was too proud to simply accept kindness, there was always a way... "Gansu could use some help on the barn. Why don't you two work for a while, and then we'll eat." She smiled. The scarred one assented.

The two older men were nailing shingles on the roof (Zuko doing a very poor job) while Lee kept questioning the mysterious fellow from the ladder. He didn't seem to be from around here, from where then, where was he going? The traveller replied evasively until Gansu told his son off for asking such personal question. The little one looked dejected for a moment then he brightened up and asked when he had got that scar. Zuko slammed the hammer into his thumb at this and stifled a cry of pain through gritted teeth.

"It's not nice to bother people about things they might not want to talk about. A man's past is his business." The farmer chided his child.

* * *

As the Fire Lord's son hammered once again, his mind was taken to a faraway time in a faraway place... an ordinary moment of happiness that belonged only to him and his mother... At the pond of the palace, she was feeding a baby turtle duck. More came, hoping for food.

"Hey mom, want to see how Azula feeds turtle ducks?" The very young Zuko threw a stone at a baby that disappeared in the water.

"Zuko! Why would you do that?!" His mother exclaimed, shocked. The lil one bobbed back up to the surface unhurt, its shell having protected him from the rock. Its mother swam to its child to make sure it was okay before biting Zuko's foot. The young prince yelled in pain. The woman, Ursa, removed the angry turtle duck and dropped it back into the pond where it swam away, babies in tow.

"Stupid turtle duck, why'd she do that?" Zuko sullenly hugged his knees. His mother sat down next to him.

"Zuko, that's what moms are like. If you mess with their babies, they'll bite you back." She hugged her son and made a biting sound for effect. They laughed together.

In another part of the garden, Azula and Ty Lee were practicing their acrobatics. After a cartwheel and a flip, the princess fell. Then Ty Lee perfectly executed a significantly more complicated sequence with grace. Her 'friend' knocked her over and laughed pointing at the fallen girl. Simple prank or retribution for having done better than the princess? Whatever the case, Ty Lee wasn't one to hold a grudge or be angry for something like that. Mai was there too, sitting with her back to a tree. She spotted Zuko and his mother walking down the path across the courtyard and looked away, blushing slightly, a small smile on her lips. Azula noticed and in Ty Lee's ear, ask her to watch. She went over to her mother while her friend giggled quietly.

"Mom, can you make Zuko play with us? We need equal teams to play a game."

"I am NOT cart wheeling." Her brother emphasied.

"You won't have to. Cart wheeling's not a game..." She then added under her breath "Dumb dumb."

"I don't care. I don't want to play with you."

"We are brother and sister. It's important for us to spend time together. Don't you think so, mom?" She looked at her mother with a sickeningly sweet expression. She always knew exactly what to say and how to act to have what she desired. Ursa agreed and told her son to go play with his sister. However, since he was still reluctant, Azula gave the finishing blow. "Actually, we're still waiting for Chenlian. But since she'll be sleeping over I was told she couldn't come until she finished her drills."

"Chenlian?" Zuko inquired, like an animal biting on bait and happily chewing while the trap closed around him.

Ursa left and Azula picked an apple from a tree and placed it on Mai's head. Mai was standing right before the fountain with an unhappy expression. They had to knock the apple off the other person's head. The royal daughter demonstrated by shooting a bullet of fire at the fruit, but before the flame reached, it was smothered by another. The newcomer took the apple and crunched on it.

"Now, even if it's you that was dangerous Azula. For such games you need to choose your opponent more wisely. Unless maybe your aim was somewhere else?" Chenlian commented matter-of-factly. Her tone, tinted with simple curiosity, was utterly devoid of defiance or calculation. Of course, Zuko was reassured that Mai was safe but there was more than that. His sour expression had instantly brightened up into one of candid happiness. However, his sister wasn't pleased to have her plan thwarted and her fun spoiled. She was very adaptable though and changed tactics. It was Chenlian's fault for being late. She should show them how she had improved and asked Zuko to be her sparring partner.

"It's fine since you would be actually practicing to fight and not playing. It's your chance to show your manliness, right?" Azula provoked her sibling. When it came to firebending and fighting ability, she and Chenlian were always competing for the top spot, and although he was older and a boy, Zuko's level was significantly lesser. He had always had a complex about it. He always worked hard to impress her but that was never enough. And Chenlian had always defended him. He was the only one for whom she showed actual concern and care. That was why Azula wanted to embarrass Zuko, so he'd once more feel shame as he'd experience the gap between them, and he wanted Chenlian to make him feel that so she'd hurt for having hurt him emotionally. Because they had no reason to refuse, they accepted. The goal was to knock the other in the fountain, and they could only fight on the ledge.

And although he defended himself well, indeed the difference between them was too big, and she successfully made him fall in the water. But a second later, she pretended to trip and fall too. Of course, the girls laughed at them, which made Chenlian splash them too and laugh. It was the bright, clear and innocent laugh of one who lived high in the sky, untouched by darkness, baseness, who didn't know pain or sorrow, who didn't need things like premeditation or affectation... This led to a water battle. Chenlian wasn't the type to lose on purpose and she didn't, yet she still protected zuko's pride. Although that wasn't in her plan as she wasn't even thinking about it, she still didn't let Azula have her way. She had just felt that it would be good if everyone had fun together.

Not long later, Ursa returned saying Iroh had sent them a letter from the front. Everyone stopped playing and changed. Mai and Ty Lee left. The three children joined the woman who was sitting at a small round table in a large room. She read the letter: 'If the city is as magnificent as its wall, Ba Sing Se must be something to behold. I hope you all may see it someday... if we don't burn it to the ground first.' The royal siblings laughed at this but not Chenlian. She certainly considered those walls as something to destroy but she was against the taking of too many lives or war cruelty. After all, those people would one day become citizens of the world united under the Fire Lord's rule. As much as possible she was also against destroying something entirely to build a better version. Wouldn't it be good to save the things that could be saved? Wasn't it better to integrate something to evolve?

'Until then, enjoy these gifts. For Chenlian, a box for your future jewelry... if you can open the secret drawers that is, for it is also a puzzle box.' Chenlian took the box and started handling it. Well, she had been warned in a previous letter that she'd receive something in the same time as those two, and the day of the arrival of the letter had been calculated so she'd be there. 'For Zuko, a pearl dagger from the general who surrendered when we broke through the outer wall. Note the inscription and the superior craftsmanship.' Zuko took the dagger from a tray held by a servant and unsheathed it, reading the words engraved on the blade "Never give up without a fight." He hadn't noticed his sister's envious look. His mother continued reading. 'And for Azula, a new friend. She wears the latest fashion for Earth Kingdom girls.' The princess picked up a doll from another tray and made a disgusted face.

"If Uncle doesn't make it back from war, then dad would be next in line to be Fire Lord, wouldn't he?" She remarked as her older brother ran around swinging with his new blade.

"Azula, we don't speak that way. It would be awful if Uncle Iroh didn't return. And besides, Fire Lord Azulon is a picture of health." Disappointed, Ursa gently chided her daughter.

"How would you like it if cousin Lu Ten wanted dad to die?" Zuko argued.

"I still think our dad would make a much better Fire Lord than his royal tea loving kookiness." The princess contemptuously eyed the doll and made its head burst into flame.

* * *

Zuko was sleeping on the hay in the barn. It was night. Lee snuck in, took his guest's broadswords, and crept away, unaware that his presence had been detected and awoken the sleeper. The child was practicing in a sunflower field and fell backward in surprise when the one he had stolen from suddenly spoke, saying he was holding them all wrong. The boy got up looking ashamed and returned the swords. Instead of taking them and getting angry, Zuko put his hands over Lee's and gave him advice.

"Keep in mind, these are dual swords..." He took the swords and demonstrated moves. "...two halves of a single weapon. Don't think of them as separate, because they're not. They're just two different parts of the same whole." He gave the weapons back to Lee who practiced a bit, then looked back at his nameless friend and teacher. His arms folded, Zuko had an uncharacteristic and appreciative smile on his face. The boy laughed.

"I think you'd really like my brother Sen Su. He used to show me stuff like this all the time." The little one commented as the two returned home under the full moon.

The next morning, Zuko was ready to depart. The whole family was there to see him off. Sela offered him a package that ought to get him through a few meals. They heard a noise. Gow and his soldiers were riding up the road to them with speed.

"What do you think they want?" Gansu wondered.

"Trouble." The older teen replied without the slightest doubt. The soldiers stopped before the family. The father asked what they wanted.

"Just thought someone ought to tell you, your son's battalion got captured." The leader smiled maliciously. "You boys here, what the Fire Nation did with their last group of Earth Kingdom prisoners?"

"Dressed them up in Fire Nation uniforms and put them on the frontline unarmed, way I heard it." One answered, spitting on the ground. "Then they just watched."

"YOU watch your mouth!" Gansu pointed menacingly. Gow moved his ostrich horse forward in the threatening manner, but the scarred young man rode in between and blocked him.

"Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs?" The soldier snorted and left with his men. And as the thugs departed in swirls of dust after the announcement of those terrible news, Zuko was reminded of another day, long ago, when he had heard similar news... He and Azula had been playing in the garden when a servant had approached their mother with a letter. A tear had rolled down her face and her son had approached her. Iroh had lost his son. Their cousin Lu Ten had not survived the battle. Gansu and Sela hugged. Lee asked what was going to happen to his brother. The man informed his wife that he was going to the front to find their son and bring him back. The couple walked away. The woman was weeping. The child ran to Zuko.

"When my dad goes, will you stay?" He looked so hopeful.

"No. I need to move on. Here." The nameless traveller gave his dagger to Lee. "I want you to have this. Read the inscription." Following his demand, the little one unsheathed the dagger and read 'Made in Earth Kingdom'. "The other one." The blade was turned to 'Never give up without a fight'. Zuko galloped away.

* * *

Traveling high in the sky, while en route to join Iroh, Chenlian noticed a town, more prosperous than others. Thinking she'd need to buy a little food she descenced and noticed a commotion. Several men were mistreating a large green beast struggling against its bonds. They were obviously trying to get it to obey. She got closer. It was... an eel hound! She landed away from sight and ran into the town right to them and stopped them, asking why they were going so far. Apparently, the young master, having trouble taming it, had got bored and asked them to do something about it but it was really difficult and now he was starting to think about getting rid of it unless someone tamed it. She complained about how childish and irresponsible it was. Suddenly, someone came out of a rich-looking house and told her she could have that eel hound for free if she could get it to obey her. Certainly, since she had thoughtlessly gotten involved and insulted the young master, she could do it easily.

She wanted to turn it down, knowing just how challenging it was to train such an animal, and she didn't have time to spare. But it was to be disposed of, she could at least take it away and set it free. Anyway she first needed to do her shopping. She asked them a bit of time to think. She'd return in half an hour.

* * *

Like Chenlian had given away one of her precious keepsakes to Song and her mother for their kindness and the ostrich horse he was riding, Zuko had given that knife away. As a child, he'd always play with it, pretending to battle imaginary enemies, and sometimes getting hit and pretending to die. Azula would complain he was wasting all his time playing knives even though he was not even good... just like that time...

Chenlian was there too, playing with him, and she had again defeated him, or rather he had let her defeat him... Then he had stood up, his cheeks flaming, and suggested Azula put an apple on her head so they'd find out how good he was. She clearly didn't believe that he was actually letting Chenlian win (though she was right). She ignored him and informed him that their uncle was coming home...

"Does that mean we won the war?"

"No. It means Uncle's a quitter and a loser."

"What are you talking about? Uncle's not a quitter."

"Oh yes he is. He found out his son died and he just fell apart." Azula turned around a pillar before leaning on it. "A real general would stay and burn Ba Sing Se to the ground, not lose the battle and come home crying." She raised her eyebrows and smiled in contempt.

"How do you know what he should do?" He snapped, angered by his sibling's cold-heartedness. He looked down, sadly. "He's probably just sad his only kid is gone... forever."

"Azula, aren't you mistaking sadness for weakness? They're not the same." Chenlian questioned. She usually avoided taking part in family talks, but sometimes when she felt that something needed to be said, she would say it, without fear, regardless of who was in front of her, the time, place, or anything else. "Don't you have someone you care about, someone you don't want to lose?"

A moment later, Ursa came in and told them Ozai had requested an audience with Fire Lord Azulon and they needed to come, and Chenlian too. The latter was quite surprised and did not want to intrude on this family thing. But the Lord had asked for her. If Zuko and Azula came, then so should she. Well, Fire Lord Azulon had always favored her. Part of it was because she was greatly favored by Iroh, his wise first-born. Another part was because her maternal grandfather, Zheng, had been his closest and most trusted advisors due to his distinguished services and tactical skills. Another was that she had proven that she had the potential to become a key person of his army and government... and maybe his family according to some reports. There was also no problem with her lineage. In that case, it was better to get her used to the workings of the palace fast. However, Chenlian had only guessed at Iroh's and her grandfather's influence. And she didn't think they were that great. Whatever the case, if it was an order from the Fire Lord she would discard her doubts and obey.

"Fire Lord Azulon. Can't we just call him 'Grandfather'? He's not exactly the powerful Fire Lord he used to be. Someone will probably end up taking his place soon." Azula wondered carelessly. Such little regard for family shocked her female classmate who nonetheless kept quiet.

"Young lady! Not, another, word." Ursa scolded her daughter who ran past her. "What is wrong with that child?"

In the throne room, Ursa, Ozai, Zuko and Azula were sitting on their shins before the Fire Lord. And further in the back, Chenlian was sitting in the same, although slightly humbler position. The chamber was filled with dark, ornate pillars holding up the roof. The center aisle leading up to the dais where the ruler of the Fire Nation was sitting was clear. The dais area was elevated and separated from the rest of the hall by a trench of fire.

"And how was it Great Grandfather Sozen managed to win the battle of Han Tui?" Ozai questioned.

"Great Grandfather won, because...?" Zuko struggled.

"Because even though his army was outnumbered, he cleverly calculated his advantages. The enemy was downwind and there was a drought. Their defenses burned to a crisp in minutes." Azula answered unhesitatingly with a touch of pride.

"Correct my dear. Now, won't you show Grandfather the new moves you demonstrated to me?" Her father coaxed. The girl stood and skilfully performed a series of firebending moves. Ozai's stony countenance turned to a slight satisfied smile while his son looked on, an uncertain expression on his face. "She's a true prodigy. Just like her Grandfather for whom she's named." He blandished his father, praising his daughter who returned to sit next to him.

"Humph, if it's only this much, Chenlian can do it too. Right, Chenlian?" The Fire Lord induced, not impressed by such obvious wheedling. Surprised to be thus implicated, Azula's 'friend' nonetheless stammered her assent and did her own performance. The sequence was different but also entailed a high level of martial prowess and firebending for her age... and was just as brilliantly executed... much to Ozai and Azula's displeasure. She was a nuisance after all. There could not be two stars with such éclat. A dragon with two heads would only invite division, and that could not be allowed. However, Chenlian was far from such concerns. She had been offered a chance. She simply wanted to do her best. She wanted to be recognized. She went back to her place.

"You'll never catch up... to me, or to her..." Azula whispered to her brother, once more showing off her adaptability and capacity to make use of any situation, even bad ones, and somehow gain something from it. And just as she had predicted, Zuko, stung, asked to do a demonstration too. His father frowned even more. The boy tried to run through some of the same moves as his sibling but with evidently less skill. After a few moments, he choked on the routine and fell on his backside. He recovered and finished by falling on his behind as his mother and his friend looked on in concern and his sister rejoiced at her sibling's failure and shame. At the end, Ursa and Chenlian rushed over to him.

"I failed." He said dejectedly. His mother turned him back and he sat on his shins before her.

"No, I loved watching you. That's who you are Zuko. Someone who keeps fighting even though it's hard." She comforted him.

"That's right. Someone with the courage to keep standing and doing his best even after falling can't be a failure." Chenlian knelt at their side and smiled encouragingly. "Doing that may require even more strength than simply succeeding."

However, all of this was still nothing more than that man trying to exhibit his daughter and her prowesses. It was just a pointless show that annoyed Azulon. He demanded why Prince Ozai was wasting his time with this pomp? He dismissed the others for his son to tell him what he wanted. But as they were about to exit the chamber, Azula grabbed Zuko and Chenlian by the hand and took them behind some curtains. She silenced them when they were going to ask what that had been about. They peeked in to see the exchange between the Fire Lord and his son.

"Father, you must have realized as I have, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned the siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he will return home? But I am here, father, and my children are alive." Ozai attempted to broach the subject with a minimum of tact. At this point his aim was pretty obvious, and still so unthinkable given the current circumstances that one could not help but push those thoughts away.

"Say what it is you want."

"Father, revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me." The Prince requested frankly. Although it was hard to imagine someone with so little regard for family as his father's 'humble servant'. Azulon leant forward and pointed an accusing finger at Ozai, who was now kneeling before him.

"You dare suggest I betray Iroh? My first born...?" At this the fire in the trenches rose up in response the Fire Lord's anger. "...Directly after the demise of his only beloved son? I think Iroh has suffered enough. But you, your punishment has scarcely begun!" His sheer wrath caused the flames to flare up again and scared Zuko who broke into a run and fled. Chenlian wanted to stay and watch and hesitated, but worried about Zuko, she chased him. Azula looked at them and stayed, turning back to the spectacle with a cruel smile on her face.

As expected, Zuko had found refuge in his room. When Chenlian arrived, he was all curled up on the bed. She sat down and petted his head.

"You don't need to be that scared. I promise that whatever happens, I'll protect you and stay by your side." She smiled. The boy's cheeks flushed in both happiness and embarrassment and he bolted upright as he swatted her arm away.

"I'm not scared! And I don't need protection from a girl!" He was older, and he was a boy, how could he let himself be always defended by her? He wanted her to see him as an equal, as a man, and not as a little brother she should protect. He had to be the one who could protect her, or he'd never truly gain her recognition! He'd never be worthy! But she knew nothing of his feelings.

"Oh, really? Then I must have imagined you running away just then, and surely, you were not cowering in your bed just a second ago. You can't keep running away from problems, from people. If you don't face things head on, you can't win, advance, and become stronger..." She kept teasing him.

"Then I'll show you!" He suddenly pounced on the girl, surprising her. They both tumbled down in a heap without any control. They stopped. Their heads hurt. As they recovered slightly from the fall and Zuko was raising himself, they opened their eyes and froze, shocked. He was lying on top of her, and their faces were so close to each other... Their cheeks burned, but they couldn't move, and just kept staring. Chenlian was first to avert her eyes.

"How long do you intend to stay here?"

"Oh, sorry." He stood up and helped her up. She dusted herself. An uncomfortable silence settled in.

"I think I should leave." She broke it and started leaving when the prince suddenly grabbed her hand, stopping her. He turned to him but he looked the other way.

"Stay. You promised, right? Or are you going to break that promise already?" He said awkwardly, his ears red and squeezing her hand tighter. He had acted impulsively, instinctively sensing it was one of those moments in which he must not let go.

"Zuko..." She whispered. Suddenly, the door opened and Azula was leaning against the doorway. The two quickly let go.

"Chenlian, if you don't want to go down with him, I suggest you leave him and stay with me instead. You know I greatly value your skills. Things would be so boring without you." The princess suggested. Naturally the two wanted to know what she meant. "Because dad's going to kill you, Zuzu. Really... he is." She turned to her brother with a leer.

"Ha-ha Azula. Nice try." Zuzu shot back. Chenlian said nothing. Even if it was Azula, that was a rather horrible joke. But then what was that fear growing in her? She didn't want to consider it either but could she be telling the truth? She only ever told the truth when she could hurt someone. Both Azula and Ozai didn't seem to have the slightest regard for family or even know the meaning of love... but would... could they really go that far?! Why?!

"Fine, don't believe me, but I heard everything. Grandfather said dad's punishment should fit his crime." Azula started imitating her grandfather. "You must know the pain of losing a first born son, by sacrificing your own!" She declared.

Chenlian's blood froze in her veins. Although it made sense in a twisted way, that was still totally absurd! How can you kill someone you love? Ozai had always regarded Zuko as a failure and treated him coldly. He never seemed to have truly seen him as his son. Maybe he wouldn't think twice about killing him after all... shouldn't the Fire Lord know that? _Know the pain of losing a first born son_... how could Ozai know that if he didn't even love his son and considered him as such?! And the Fire Lord... was he really seriously intending to sacrifice his grandson? No, there were times when in order to accomplish something great, sacrifices were necessary. And it was true that Ozai should be punished for his behavior. But why did Zuko have to die for his father's ambition? And even though the Fire Lord had lost a grandson already, was it worth to have his last grandson killed in order to punish his son? In that palace, was there really no one who thought of Zuko? Disobeying the Fire Lord's orders meant treason. But those people could so easily sacrifice their family. If they could do that, what care could they give to the world? Must they continue to obey? Must they sacrifice everything for that? What will be left then? She had always fought, intending to do her best for her nation because she believed in a bright future for everyone. They were so close to unifying the world. Then, after the borders disappeared, they'd build an era of peace and prosperity. That was what she had envisioned. But now she could only see darkness.

"Liar!" Zuko yelled.

"I'm only telling you for your own good. I know, maybe you could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you. Chenlian, would you still go with him? Well, it's true he can't do anything without you."

"I..." Chenlian stammered. Right, Zuko was different. No matter how harshly he was treated, he still loved his father and sister. He knew love and compassion. He had always defended those weaker than him even if he didn't have much power himself. He thought about others. That was why he had to live, and inherit the throne. She had made that promise because she believed in him. But when she'd think of everything she would have to sacrifice and realize the strength she'd need to do that, her knees would start giving way. But thinking of Zuko gave her strength... if it was for him... maybe...

"Stop it, you're lying!" Zuko shouted again. Right. He must be right. "Dad would never do that to me."

"Your father would never do what to you? What is going on here?" Ursa questioned as she entered the room. Azula replied innocently that she didn't know. "Chenlian, you stay with Zuko, and you, young lady, it's time for a talk." The woman grabbed her daughter's hand and took her away. Anxious, Chenlian took Zuko's hand while the other brought his head against her shoulder and she petted it. He was first going to reject her thinking she was teasing him again and treating him like a kid, but stopped himself, feeling she was different from before. She was like a normal girl who needed reassurance too. And to reassure herself, she was reassuring him. He hugged her before he knew what he was doing.

"Well, you know how it always is with your sister, right?"

"Yeah... she always lies."

"Right. Azula always lies."

* * *

"Azula always lies. Azula always lies." Zuko repeated, almost like he was chanting, convincing himself, as he was lying on the grass in the Earth Kingdom. He sat up when he heard a cart coming. It was Sela. She seemed so distraught.

"You have to help! It's Lee! The thugs from town came back as soon as Gansu left. When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled a knife on them. I don't even know where he got a knife! Then they took him away. They told me if he's old enough to fight, he's old enough to join the army. I know we barely know you, but..." Desperate, she started weeping again. She didn't know if she could rely on him, but he was the only she could go to. The young man stood up.

"I'll get your son back."

* * *

Chenlian returned to the house to be shown the beast. The men from earlier took it to her. She wanted to try something first. If it didn't work, she'd just say 'leave' or 'run away' and let go. It would escape and since the animal would have 'obeyed', she wouldn't have to pay. The girl showed her palm she slowly raised before catching the reigns flying about and firmly holding them. She kept its head at her level, staring it straight in the eyes. Minutes passed and it slowly calmed down. She asked for food and they gave it to her. While Chenlian fed eel hound, she freed it from its ties. Still, it was truly bewildering how easy it was. That definitely wasn't normal! There was something going on! Even after eating, it the beast stayed calm. She tried to climb it and it let her. That really didn't make sense at all. How could she, in a few minutes, tame an animal that should take weeks, months, if not years to train? However, she had no time to question that absurdly unnatural stroke of luck. As per the agreement, she was free to keep it, and she did. Chenlian left to search for Iroh after having thanked those people.

"Is it really alright, Master Senya?"

"Of course, if it's for her and a poor elderly." Senya appeared and leant against the door frame.

"Even though that elderly is-"

"It doesn't matter really."

"Surely she can't guess that it was you who tamed that beast and got it accustomed to her scent. Even though eel hounds are usually very obedient once trained, this one still wouldn't let anyone ride it but you."

"She doesn't need to know. And even if she found it strange, right now her head is too filled with that scarred young man to think properly." The young master of the Qi family replied. The servant asked how he could have obtained something from her. "I swiped a ring from that pouch where she hides her precious treasures. How? That's a secret. Now enough questions, prepare the carriage."

* * *

When Zuko returned to the village, the sun was setting, bathing the world in gold. Lee was tied to a post. His head snapped up at the sound of his savior's approach.

"Hey! There he is! I told you he'd come!" He interjected with smug insolence. Gow and his underlings emerged from the shadows. Zuko dismounted and took off his hat. The men approached. The scarred teen threatened them to let the kid go. Gow laughed mockingly.

"Who do you think you are? Telling us what to do?" He asked equally menacingly.

"It doesn't matter who I am, but I know who you are. You're not soldiers. You're bullies. Freeloaders, abusing your power. Mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army. You're sick cowards messing with a family who's already lost one son to the war." The nameless and contemptuous one disparaged them.

"Are you going to let this stranger stand there and insult you like this?" The leader piqued his men after a pause. A soldier brandished his spear and stepped forward. Zuko pulled back as the thug lunged, then drew the handle of his swords right into the footman's stomach, knocking him backwards. The guy got up and ran away. Another roared and tried his chance. The exiled prince deflected the weapon with his elbow, closed in, caught his opponent's face in his palm and slammed him back on the ground. Zuko stood up and the bully ran off. The last one charged... and got his spear broken by a kick. The bully dropped the useless stick and ran too. Lee laughed with delight. A crowd had gathered, Sela among them.

However, Gow was made of tougher stuff than his lackeys. He drew his two war hammers and adopted a bending stance. Zuko unsheathed his broadswords in response. The Earth Kingdom soldier used his weapons to earthbend rocks at the scarred youngster who shattered them with his blades. But because of the too rapid rate, Zuko was hit in the guts by a stone. He recovered at charged at Gow with his blades. An old man cheered. The swordsman sliced more rocks until he missed one and was thrown back again. He staggered. Lee and the old man yelled warnings. This time, Zuko was pushed back by large boulders hurled from below. Finally, Gow raised up a shock wave of earth to his opponent. A huge rock erupted and struck the banished prince in the chest, throwing him to the ground. The crowd gasped.

* * *

Young Zuko felt a hand on his shoulder and woke up slightly.

"Mom?" He asked groggily.

"Zuko, please, my love, listen to me." Ursa tightly hugged her child. "Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. Remember this Zuko. No matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are." She said and let go. However, the noise had woken Chenlian up too. She had fallen asleep on Zuko's bed. Their tiredness had suddenly overcome them and they had passed out together just like this after Azula left. She sat up and looked at him. He was going back to sleep. Ursa skirted the bed to sit next to her and hold her face in her hands.

"Chenlian, I'm sorry. Because of me, of my decisions, you will have to suffer greatly. I'm sorry for forcing you to bear such a burden that you should never have to bear. But... I didn't know any other way. Even so, I hope that you won't give up, and that you won't abandon my son either. You don't have to forgive me, just listen to my request. You're the only one I can ask. Please, take care of Zuko, stay by his side, and protect him." The woman kissed her forehead and tightly hugged her too before walking away and disappearing into the darkness of the hall outside the room. Zuko fell back asleep but Chenlian was still trying to make sense of what she had heard, and failing. The only thing clear was that Ursa had entrusted her son to her, she had asked her to protect him and stay by his side. Well, that had been her intention from the start. But the way that person had phrased it induced indicible fear and dread in the young girl's heart. Still it was impossible for her to understand now. So she also returned to sleep.

* * *

Zuko lay flat on the ground. The dust from his fall was still settling. Gow approached. Lee desperately whispered at his rescuer to get up. The young man opened his eyes and screamed in fury. As he stood up, he spun a circle of fire around him. The Earth Kingdom soldier dropped his hammers but before he could earthbend a protected, he was blasted away. The banished prince was wreathed in fire, wrath etched onto his face. Lee looked on, with an appalled expression. Gow got up and stood his ground, assuming a bending stance. Zuko charged him, shooting several fast balls of fire from his blade. One hit and the thug was thrown back into a wall. Part of it collapsed on him though he didn't suffer much from it.

"Who, who are you?" Gow questioned weakly.

"My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne." The scarred young man declared confidently as he sheathed his swords. Lee was shocked frozen. That claim had also got to the crowd.

"Liar! I heard of you. You're not a prince, you're an outcast! His own father burned and disowned him." The same old man who had previously encouraged him was now pointing an accusatory finger at him. Their attitude had taken such a 180° turn as soon as he had revealed himself as a firebender. Zuko ignored the elderly and went to Gow, who cowered at his approach. The Fire Prince bent down and took the dagger back that had apparently been taken from Lee. He walked over to Lee that Sela was untying. She quickly finished and moved in front of her son, shielding him from the firebender and prince of the enemy nation that had taken so much from them.

"Not a step closer." She commanded. Zuko knelt down and offered the dagger back to Lee who peeked out from behind his mother.

"It's yours. You should have it."

"No, I hate you." The child refused, his voice tainted with anger, loathing, and the bitterness of betrayal as he turned away from the man he had once regarded as a second older brother. He walked away with his mother. The crowd had assembled behind Zuko.

* * *

Little Zuko woke up in his bed and noticed Chenlian was gone. And he also remembered his mother leaving. Worried out of his mind, he bolted out of the bed and went to look for them. He didn't notice Chenlian sitting on stairs, trying to open Iroh's gift, but she noticed him. Distracted, she accidently triggered a mechanism without looking, and the top suddenly opened. There were compartments, empty of course. A mirror was under the lid along with a quote _'Real treasure lies not in a treasure box but within your heart.'_ She didn't really get it but somehow, felt she did. Still, that kind of obscure riddle-like quote was just like Iroh. But now was not the time to think about that. She put the box down and ran after Zuko. He was calling for his mother.

Azula was playing with Zuko's knife. She hid when she heard someone arrive and stepped out when she saw it was her brother. Chenlian stopped a distance away and watched. Slightly panicked, the boy asked his sister where their mom was.

"No one knows. Oh, and last night, Grandpa passed away."

"Not funny, Azula. You're sick. And I want my knife back, now." He tried to snatch his knife back but she dodged and held it out in front of her, taunting him.

"Who's going to make me? Mom?"

"**_I_** can... if you're not mature enough to stop on your own..." Chenlian intervened. Azula glared slightly at her but nonetheless let Zuko grab his knife and run out of the room. The mahogany-haired girl turned to the princess. "And why aren't YOU worried? Don't you care what happens to her? Isn't Ursa your mother too? She loves you. She really sincerely deeply loves you, no matter how cruel you may act, because that's how mothers are. Are you really alright with that? Can you really be alright that something like this happened to one of the very few if not only person who truly loves you and not just your firebending skills?"

"So what if I am? That doesn't concern you, does it?"

"It does concern me. As a noble's daughter and part of this nation, I'm concerned about what type of people stands at the top. That's why I hope and pray that you aren't the heartless person you're making yourself out to be. I'd feel sorry for you, and for everyone."

"Why, thank you for your concern. But whatever happens in the royal family, whoever stands at the top, the ones below have no choice but to shut up and obey, right? Also, shouldn't you worry about yourself, and about my dear brother? You're the only one left now. I wonder how long you'll last. Please struggle as much as you can." Azula taunted before leaving.

Zuko ran to the garden where Ozai was looking out over the pond. Again, he demanded to know where his mother was. But his father's silence was a clear enough answer. The boy looked down in despair and slowly made his way back. In the palace he looked up and saw Chenlian waiting for him. She smiled sadly, encouragingly. Because of that smile, he let go of his pride, his guard... everything, and took her in his arms, squeezing her tight, so she wouldn't slip away from his side like his mother. And the girl held him back comfortingly, recalling Ursa's last words to her.

On the ceremonial plaza of the palace, the Fire Sage, presiding over the ritual, was pronouncing the eulogy for Fire Lord Azulon's funeral. Behind him there was a dais on which stood a gold sarcophagus where the deceased lay for his final rest. Ozai, Azula, and Zuko, dressed in white, were standing on the side.

"Azulon, Fire Lord to our nation for 23 years. You were our fearless leader in the battle of Gar Sai. Our matchless conqueror of the Hu Sin provinces. You were father of Iroh. Father of Ozai. Husband of Ilha, now passed. Grandfather of Lu Ten, now passed. Grandfather of Zuko and Azula." The Fire Sage turned and approached the sarcophagus. He reached in and took the Fire Lord's diadem. "We lay you to rest." At these words, Ozai walked forward and knelt down before the audience and two firebenders ignited the sarcophagus. With the fire of the funeral pyre burning behind him, the Fire Sage crowned the new Fire Lord. "As was your dying wish, you are now succeeded by your second son." He placed the diadem on Ozai's head. "Hail Fire Lord Ozai!" He declaimed. Fire Lord Ozai stood up. The spectators bowed low. On one knee, Azula was smirking cruelly. Zuko, sitting on his shins, his back bent, looked over at his younger sister in fear, before looking ahead with the same frightened expression.

* * *

Zuko rode out of the village on his ostrich horse, his conical hat back on his head. Each side of the street was lined with townspeople. Many were holding farmtools but given the latent hostility, it felt like they were holding weapons, ready for use. They all, including Lee, stared down at him with hatred, contempt, silently condemning him, rejecting him. The banished prince continued his journey, riding west, into the sunset.


	32. On the trail

**Fight 32: On the trail**

Appa landed on a dried up cove of the Nan Shan River. Aang, Katara and Sokka unloaded the baggage. Toph climbed down and walked a little. She was happy they had picked a great campsite where the grass was so soft. But Sokka contradicted her. That wasn't grass, but fur. Appa was shedding. Katara found it gross. Aang disagreed. It was just a part of spring, like rebirth, flowers blooming, and Appa getting a new coat. She sarcastically praised the beauty of spring but could no longer pretend as Appa sneezed, trying to get rid of the fur on his tongue blowing more fur everywhere. The waterbender coughed and waved her arms to stop Appa from covering her in hair even more. The boys were having fun though, making wigs and beards out of fur. Unamused, the Water Tribe girl stared at them and noted she was just glad to finally have another girl in the group because they were disgusting. But then Toph was exactly the same as these two as showed when she asked for a razor because of her 'hairy pits' full of white hair that she displayed. The three burst out laughing, until Aang gave one of his powerful airbending sneezes, blowing all the fur on him and his friends away and thrusting him back into the bison's leg and then falling face down on the ground. Now fur was sticking to his back like the spines of a hedgehog. They laughed again. Even Katara could not help but chuckle slightly, glad that they were getting along well.

Night was falling. Aang was setting the tents, Katara fetching the water and Sokka the firewood. And while everyone was working for the common good, only Toph was lazying around against a rock with her legs crossed, arms behind her head, munching some straw. Katara tried to explain that when setting up camp, work was divided between everyone and everyone had to participate. Even Momo did his fair share. But since Toph didn't need anyone to help her, she didn't understand why she'd need to help them with commodities she wasn't going to use. Why was Katara being so insistent? What was the problem?! But since the waterbender didn't want things to degenerate and waste time explaining such basic rules of community life, she just left with an aggravated 'nevermind'. And Toph, just as irritated, returned into the stone tent she had earthbended.

As they were finishing the preparations for the night, Katara, who had calmed down, tried to reconcile with the earthbender. She apologized. Since they were all a little tired, they kept getting on each others' nerves. Toph agreed that Katara did seem pretty tired, vexing her. The female Water Tribe member had meant ALL of them. The little one cut the conversation short with a goodnight and lied down on her chest. The waterbender half-heartedly bid her goodnight too and walked away.

Well into the night, everyone was sleepling. Suddenly, Toph woke up and gasped. She carefully felt the vibrations in the ground and came out to alert the others. Something was coming towards them! They woke up. The siblings emerged from the tent. The blind girl couldn't exactly figure out what was after them but anyway they chose to leave. Better be safe than sorry. Aang and the Water Tribe members squinted their eyes, trying to see their pursuer from the saddle. There was a dust cloud coming their way beyond the trees. It was created by a large tank made up of two connected compartments like a train and mounted on treads. It had a stream-lined and dangerous-looking shape with two harpoons and smoke smoke pouring out of its smokestack. It was moving very quickly for its size.

Appa kept flying. The humans all had bags under their eyes. Then he finally descended onto a hill. As soon as his six paws touched the ground, Toph jumped out of the saddle and laid flat on the ground. The other three climbed out as well.

"Ahh, land, sweet land!" She rejoiced. She bolted back up. "See you guys in the morning!" She had barely made a step that Katara requested that she helped them unload.

"Really? You need me to help unload Sokka's funky-smelling sleeping bag?" Her face clearly showed of how much of a pain she thought it was. Sokka sniffed, and twitched in disgust, keeping his bag at arm's length.

"Well, yeah. That and everything else. You're a part of our team now and—"

"Look." Toph irritatedly pointed at Katara. "I didn't ask you to help unload my stuff. I'm carrying my own weight." She argued. Her hands on her hips, the waterbender retorted it was not the point. Then she marched towards her, her hands curled into fists. Ever since joining them Toph had been nothing but selfish and unhelpful! "What?! Look here, sugar queen, I gave up everything I had so that I could teach Aang earthbending, so don't you talk to me about being selfish!" The earthbender shot back as she quickly made a tent around herself.

"Sugar Queen?!" Katara exclaimed, enraged. Toph just closed off her rock entirely in response. The discussion was finished. "D-Did you just slam the door in my face!? " She moved around, hitting and kicking the stone tent as Sokka, Aang, and Momo watched on. "How can you be so infuriating! " She kept rambling. The monk wondered whether they should do something but Sokka was just enjoying the show. Still, the Avatar could not take it and tried to solve things saying they both needed to calm down. "_Both_...?! I'M COMPLETELY CALM!" The waterbender turned back to him with a hysterical face. Aang had instinctively stiffened in fear. He recovered.

"I... can see that." He stammered frightfully and retreated back to a safe distance.

Later that night, Aang, Sokka and Katara were lying on the ground, the latter two in sleeping bags. The girl was staring at the sky.

"The stars sure are beautiful tonight..." The girl commented. Her brother, annoyed, covered himself with his bag to drown out the noise. "Too bad you can't see them, Toph!" She taunted meanly, turning towards the earth tent. The blind child retaliated by causing Katara and her sleeping bag to fly up and drop on Sokka, knocking the wind out of him. He placed his sister between him and Aang and yelled angrily. How was a guy supposed to sleep with all this yelling and earthquaking?! But then Toph lowered her 'door'. That thing was back! Sokka covered his head again, hoping to get a few minutes of sleep depending on how far it was. But from the smoke in the distance, it was way too close for comfort. They had to leave now, and so they did. But seriously, what was that thing ? And how did it keep finding them? Sokka was far from such concerns as he had already gone off to sleep from his snoring. Aang, however, intended to make sure to lose them this time.

The bison flew and flew, passing mountains, forests, before finally landing atop a platform on a ridge. When he did, he simply fell over on his side from exhaustion, spilling out the company in his saddle. Aang, Katara, and Toph just stayed lying where they fell. Only Sokka unrolled his sleeping bag and stuffed himself in it. Forget about setting up camp. He was going to sleep on the softest pile of dirt. His sister acerbly remarked it was good because Toph wasn't going to help anyway.

"Oh, I didn't realize baby still needed someone to tuck her in bed." The earthbender retorted.

"Come on guys, there's something after us and we don't even know what... or who it is." The Avatar covered his head with the top of his shirt, muffling his voice. Katara suggested it could be Zuko as they hadn't seen him since the North Pole. It was strange for him to keep this quiet. Toph asked who Zuko was.

"Oh, just some angry freak with a ponytail who's tracked us all over the world." Sokka replied boredly.

"What's wrong with ponytails, ponytail?" Katara jokingly questioned. The young man pointed at his hair, saying this was a warrior's wolf tail. "Well, it certainly tells the other warriors that you're fun and perky!" She lay back down. Anyway, whoever was chasing them couldn't have followed them here. But again, their wish wasn't granted. Those people had managed to track them all the way over here given the difficult terrain. Toph could feel it with her own two feet. There was no mistake.

Aang ran to the ledge to get a better look and saw the machine crawl onto the ridge and approach. The others had also come to see. Katara wanted to get out of here but the Avatar suggested facing them to find out who their identity. Maybe they were friendly. Sokka slumped and sighed at his friend's usual optimism. Suddenly, the vehicule stopped. The side of the last compartment opened and three women riding giant lizards came out. The monk and his friends were stunned to see the three girls from Omashu, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee. The trio charged up the path. The four of the Avatar team took battle stances.

"We can take 'em! Three on three!" The earthbender was eager to fight.

"Actually, Toph, there's four of us." Sokka reminded her.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't count you. You know, no bending and all..." She teased him.

"I can still fight!" The nonbender shouted at her, dropping his stance with a furious expression.

"Okay. Three on three plus Sokka." Toph conceded with the same tone and smile, causing Sokka to growl furiously, his face red. Then she initiated the attack, causing large rocks to erupt before the assailants who simply rode over each one. Anyhow, now they knew who was after them, it was time to hit the road. Everyone but Toph ran back to Appa. She stomped the ground and a large wall of earth rose up to block the path. Azula blasted a large hole inside it with her lightning and the pursuit continued. The earthbender was frozen in amazement. Mai shot her arrow-like darts. The little girl earthbended the ground under her, it sprang up, propelling her upward. The arrows hit the rock. Toph landed in the saddle and the bison took off, avoiding a blast of blue fire from Azula.

Katara couldn't believe those three had followed them all the way from Omashu. Toph still thought they could've taken them but the waterbender, more than the crazy blue firebending and the flying daggers that were already bad enough, was scared of the one who did something that took her bending away.

They kept flying. And then, the sun rose. Sokka wanted to cry. They had been up all night with no sleep. Aang tried to reassure him, without any convincing power. The warrior of the Water Tribe, who had never gone without sleep, was growing crazier by the minute. The problem was that those girls were there every time they landed, so they had to keep flying, but Appa couldn't do that. The bison was reaching his limits too.

Azula's tank sped through the grassland at incredible speed, its treads leaving deep and distinctive marks. She was closely followed by Zuko on his ostrich-horse. He looked very determined. And since he couldn't see spirits, he was unaware that both his and Azula's movements were being regularly watched by a girl with mahogany hair riding a golden dragon. And he couldn't see the dread written all over her face. The spirits returned to the body. Chenlian stood up and mounted the eel hound. She had to go back to Iroh.

The airbender yawned and asked what the plan was. Toph slumped down, too tired to think. Katara was sure they'd come up with something after a short nap. Her brother couldn't agree more. But suddenly, they felt themselves levitating... and then plummeting. They clung to each other and the saddle. Appa had fallen asleep and was nose-diving. Aang crawled down the bison's forehead to look him in the eyes. He yelled at his buddy to wake up but it was useless. They were going to crash at any moment! Still, Appa managed to force himself awake and stop the fall. He swerved into the fir trees. The humans on his back were almost blown away by the branches. That slowed him down a little and he made a crash landing, leaving a large trench on the ground. And he fell asleep the very same second. They were right next to the river. The four came down. Appa was exhausted. They had put a lot of distance between them and those women. So now they should follow Appa's lead and get some sleep. Katara noted that of course, they could have gotten some sleep earlier if Toph didn't have such issues. The earthbender, who was already lying down on her belly, suddenly sprang up and slammed her hands on the ground, cracking it a little.

"What?!"

"Alright, alright! Everyone's exhausted. Let's just get some rest." Aang tried to defuse the conflict. He just wanted to sleep, and surely, everyone would feel better if they had some sleep.

"No! I want to hear what Katara has to say. You think I have issues?" Toph stood up.

"I'm just saying, maybe if you helped out earlier we could've set up our camp faster and gotten some sleep and then maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!" The waterbender's placid face was full of annoyance and sarcasm.

"You're blaming ME for this?!" The gamine approached menacingly. The older one  
threw her sleeping bag and waved her hands in a 'bring it on' gesture. Aang stepped in between them and tried to stop the fight again. Katara was not blaming her! But the Water Tribe girl contradicted him. She WAS blaming her! Toph walked up to the accuser, hurtling the Avatar out of her way. "I never asked you for diddly doo da. I carry my own weight! Besides, if there's anyone to blame, it's sheddy over here!" She pointed an accusative finger at the sky bison, angering Aang this time. You wanna know how they keep finding us ? He's leaving a trail everywhere we go!" She grabbed a bunch of hair from Appa's side and opened her palm to let it blow away in the wind.

"How dare you blame Appa! He saved your life three times today! If there's anyone to blame, it's you! You're always talking about how you carry your own weight, but you're not! HE is! Appa's carrying your weight! He never had a problem flying when it was just the three of us!" The monk jumped down to shout at his earthbending teacher. She stood there for a moment before walking to her bag that flew into her arms due to her bending.

"I'm outta here." She said simply and started leaving. Sokka ran in and blocked her path, asking her to wait, but she just removed him and started walking again.

However, it wasn't long before Aang and Katara realized what they had done and deeply regretted it. Because they had shouted at her, been mean to her although they were just trying to get used to each other, the Avatar's earthbending teacher had left. Sokka agreed they were pretty much jerks. His sis thanked him. He replied with a 'no problem'. Anyhow, they needed to find her and apologize. They also still had that other problem, the tank full of dangerous ladies chasing them. Aang had a plan though.

They washed Appa in the river. Aang and Katara were on each of the banks using waterbending to splash the bison's back with spouts of water while Sokka and Momo were scrubbing. When they were done, the animal came out, its wet coat no longer fluffly but hanging heavily. They had also gathered most of the fur on the ground. Since those girls were following the fur trail as Toph had said, then he was going to make a fake one to throw them off. Since Appa was clean, he could no longer leave a trail. And he'd be okay to fly as long as they left the saddle and all the stuff here. The bison took off with the Water Tribe siblings and Momo, but the fatigue made him hit the closest tree tops that broke off and fell. Aang soared with his glider and headed to another direction, hair falling from his bag full of fur.

Toph was walking alone in the wilderness. Then she sensed something and caused a rumble of earth to jet across the ground and hit a nearby rock. A dust cloud emerged behind it and a grunt is heard. She jumped on the rock and took a fighting stance. Iroh was there, lying on the ground, massaging his behind, his hair and beard no longer nice and tidy, but long, shaggy, and unkempt.

"Ohhh... That really hurt my tailbone." The elderly moaned in pain. He looked back at who had struck him.

"Iroh! I know where he's heading! We must do something or things will get- Ah!" Chenlian suddenly arrived and stopped her mount. She had recognized the girl as the earthbender accompanying Aang. Of course, she had kept tabs on them too. But why was she here alone? Something must have happened while she was looking for Zuko. Geez, Azula was tracking Aang, Zuko was following her trying to pull the carpet from under her and Aang had let go of his earthbending teacher... Anyway, she had to know more... "Looks like we have a guest." She smiled as she dismounted.

In the river, 'wads of wet fur' (as Mai 'delightfully' put it) were still floating about or clinging to rocks. Azula took some with her clawed hands and examined it. Ty Lee disagreed, they were not wads, more like... bundles... or bunches... She was looking for the word with the 'uh' sound when Mai said 'clumps'. Delighted they had found the right term, Ty Lee repeated it and grabbed her friend around the neck, holding her tight. The knife user held her back awkwardly. She had never been the touchy-feely type, and thus not a big fan of hugs, unlike the former circus girl . Azula examined the track of fur on the ground. She looked at the direction it was heading to, then at the surroundings, and notably the broken tree tops. She turned to address her her comrades.

"The Avatar is trying to give us the slip. You two head in that direction and keep your eye out for the bison." The princess pointed at the tree tops and then walked to the furry path. "I'll follow this trail." And a moment later, the three women mounted their lizards and rode their own way.

Aang left the forest for the desert and landed at the entrance of a ghost town and folded his glider. He walked up the main drag. The buildings were all damaged and there was debris everywhere. Shutters flapped desolately, a bell hanging on a porch rang in the wind. Such a forlorn place. He shook the last bits of fur out his bag and prepared to leave before changing his mind. He turned to look back at the trail he had left, and after a time, sat down and waited for his pursuers.

Exhausted, Appa was flying low and slowly right above the trees. Katara was holding the reigns and Sokka and Momo were on the bison's back, looking around for Toph who couldn't have made it too far. Suddenly, the lemur screeched. Alerted, the boy looked in the back and down and with horror saw Mai and Ty Lee hot behind them. How did they find them?! The waterbender shook the reigns. However, instead of going faster, Appa angled downward. He was too tired. They noticed a river just ahead. It was actually still the Nan Shan River they had more or less followed. They only had to make it across! The sky bison broke off some more trees as he descended. The siblings encouraged him. Just a little further! Mai threw stilettos at Sokka who avoided. Appa plowed into the river and into the far bank, leaving a deep trench in the earth. When he stopped sliding, he was already asleep. But at least, they had made it! They were safe!

The pair hugged but their joy was short-lived as the lizards rose up on two legs and ran across the water. Katara launched a huge wave at them that hit Ty Lee's mount, but the acrobat jumped gracefully off before she got washed away and landed among the nearby trees. She hopped from tree to tree. Katara opened her waterskin and tried to whip the Fire Nation girl who landed in front of her but was instead forced to dodge several strikes and gain distance to attack. The waterbender then launched several sheets of water at Ty Lee who easily avoided them with a few somersaults. The knife thrower reached the bank too and shot several stilettos at Katara but Sokka stepped in and destroyed them with his club and boomerang. He hurled his boomerang at her. It missed as she jumped off and launched more stilettos at the guy who broke them too. Mai changed target and charged at Katara.

Ty Lee did the same and with a ruthless grin, did a series of somersaults and leapt into the air. She came down right behind Sokka and rendered his right arm useless with a couple of quick jabs. He dropped the boomerang and turned to attack using the club in his left hand... to the same results. He tried to kick her, but she numbed his leg as well. She went for a punch and hurt her fingers because of his hard head butt. She pulled her hand back with an expression of great pain. Ty Lee glared at her opponent and recovered after a few seconds.

Katara ran over to a tree on the edge of the river but before she could waterbend, her arms were pinned to the tree by stilettos. She gasped, frightened, as she realized she was completely immobilized, at the mercy of her adversary. Sokka hopped and collapsed between his sister and Mai. Ty Lee coolly joined her friend, her fists on her hips.

"How ya doing ?" The boy inquired.

"Well, you know!" His sibling replied frenetically.

"I thought when Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be more exciting. Oh well, victory is boring." Mai crossed her arms and looked down in disappointment. But just as the words left her lips, a blast of air blew the Fire Nation girls. They screamed and fell into the river at a good distance. Sokka voiced his deeply heartfelt thanks to Appa who generously licked face in response. Mai and Ty Lee emerged from the river and rested on the bank. The former circus acrobat started wringing her braid out.

"Was it just me, or was that guy kinda cute ?" She asked her sullen friend's opinion.

In the ghost town, Aang was still waiting resolutely, staring straight at the setting sun. Azula approached on her lizard and dismounted once she reached the main drag. Now that she had caught up with him, he wanted to know who she was and what she wanted.

"You mean you haven't guessed ? You don't see the family resemblance? Here's a hint." She deepened her voice and hid her left eye to imitate a certain young man. "I must find the Avatar to restore my honor." However, the impersonation left the Avatar nonplussed. "It's okay. You can laugh. It's funny." She made a half smile. Not in the mood for laughs Aang asked what was going to happen now. "Now... Now it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run, but I'll catch you."

"I'm not running." The airbender stood up full of determination. The girl's smile widened slightly into a cruel one.

Toph and Iroh were sitting around a small campfire on a rock ledge. Chenlian was meditating further away. She and the old man had convinced the earthbender to travel with them for a bit. And now she had found out the Avatar's whereabouts, as well as the two Fire Nation young royals. Iroh poured tea for everyone. He offered the blind girl a cup, but she didn't take it immediately.

"Here is your tea. You seem a little too young to be travelling alone."

"You seem a little too old. That's why you're not travelling alone I guess." The child replied, finally accepting the cup. The elder laughed good-heartedly, admitting it. "Who is she?"

"My future niece-in-law, I hope. She's taking care of me while my nephew's away."

"I know what you're thinking. I look like I can't handle being by myself. That's why you two picked me up." She was contradicted though. He wasn't thinking that. "You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea."

"I poured your tea because I wanted to and for no other reason."

"He poured my tea too. That's basic hospitality." Chenlian arrived and took the last cup. "Well that's also part of his personality. He's kind to everyone, especially women and children. And he's a great tea-maker." The praise made the old man laugh with false modesty.

"People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me. But I can take care of myself by myself."

"You sound like my nephew. Always thinking you need to do things on your own without anyone's support. There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you... Not that I love you; I just met you." The old man laughed, and so did the Earthbender.

"Well, I was like that too in the past... until quite recently... until I met friends and people who led me to believe it was okay to rely on others." Chenlian chuckled softly. "You know the proverb 'a friend in need is a friend indeed'. In a group of friends, everyone is equal. You share the good, the bad, learn about each other; form bonds, and help each other out, for small or big things, and before you know it, you feel as if you've found your place. Of course it doesn't happen overnight. There will be frictions. You need to hang on to learn if it's really worthwhile. But once you know... it's truly a wonderful feeling."

"It does sound wonderful..." Toph trailed off wistfully. "So, where's the nephew?"

"We've been tracking him, actually." Iroh hung his head in sadness, and so did the female firebender. Toph wondered if he was lost. "Yes, a little bit. His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times. He is trying to figure out who he is and he went away."

"So... now you're following him."

"We know he doesn't want us around right now, but, if he needs us, we'll be there."

"That boy is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it." The blind one stood up. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. Sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights."

"No, thank you for what you said. It helped me." The little girl corrected. The two were glad. She picked her bag and began to leave before turning back briefly. "Oh, and about him... maybe you should tell him that you need him too." She advised. Iroh and Chenlian considered this as they took a sip of tea.

"I tried to do that though..." The amber-eyed girl whispered almost inaudibly. "Wait, won't you stay with us for now? I believe we're headed the same way." She then smiled mysteriously.

Aang and Azula were facing each other in the street of the desert town. She asked if he truly wanted to fight her. Suddenly Zuko burst into the street from an alley between the two. He quickly dismounted, and his ostrich horse scurried away. He threw his hat.

"Yes, I really do." He affirmed. His presence surprised the airbender.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, Zuzu." The princess pondered. Aang couldn't help but laugh a bit at the nickname.

"Back off, Azula! He's mine!" The Fire Lord's son demanded as he took a battle stance with his arms outstretched towards both his sister and the Avatar and keeping an alert eye on either of them.

"I'm not going anywhere." Azula retorted firmly, also assuming a firebending stance, smiling confidently. The monk fearfully got ready to defend himself. The three stared each other down for a time. Suddenly, the female launched a blast of blue fire at her brother, who managed to block at the last second with a wall of his own fire, though the force of the impact still knocked him to the ground with a crash. Aang took advantage of that to try and escape to the air but Azula forced him down to the ground with a wave of blue fire. His back on the dust, the monk twirled his staff to dissipate the flames. Azula ran on a rooftop and landed just in front of him. The child fearfully rolled away and got up. However Zuko had recovered and was cutting his retreat. The firebenders launched blast after blast at Aang who whirled his way past her and back and away again, dodging them all.

Zuko attacked his sister with a fire-enhanced heel drop but she stepped away and put out his flames with her own. They avoided the other's following shot and the princess turned her attention back to the Avatar and chased him into the upper floor of a building... without knowing it had been bombed. Only the walls had remained. Inside, everything had collapsed and there was just a gaping hole into which she almost fell. Alarmed, she flailed her arms, trying to recover her balance. Before the opposite wall, Aang was sitting on an air scooter, smiling and waving at her. Azula managed to regain her stability using the narrow floor ledge at her left as foothold. She jumped and stood on a ledge next to the doorframe... unlike her older brother who rushed in head first like a bull and screamed as he fell and crashed down.

Aang could not afford to rest though. His air scooter was dissipating. The young woman fired several shots at him that missed. The monk jumped onto the ledge and ran along it and into her with his enhanced speed, knocking her off. She landed gracefully, ready for action, while Zuko was still struggling to get up. The airbender left the house from where he had entered it and jumped down into the street. A second later, the side of the building was blasted by blue fire and the exiled prince who collapsed in the dust. Azula attacked the Avatar who evaded each shot, jumping up between the walls of a nearby alley, scaling the buildings. When he reached the top of the building on the left, Azula sliced the corner off with a blast of fire. It caved in and fell, but he latched onto the remainder of the building. The female firebender sliced another part and this time Aang fell into the building along with the rubble. Encased by the debris, he could only watch as the princess entered the house and set the rubble around the room on fire.

Zuko's eyes fluttered open and he saw Chenlian's form bent over him. She smiled, relieved. He could feel the soft touch of her hand on his cheek. Then she looked away and left.

The monk tried to free himself, in vain. She advanced forward with a cruel smile. However, just as she raised her right hand to strike, Katara caught it in a water whip and yanked her backward. That same second, Chenlian crashed from the sky right between Azula and him and fired a blast at the princess who protected herself. Katara took advantage of the distraction to cut the wood beam blocking Aang who smiled and screamed their names elatedly. Azula whipped around and fired a few blasts at both Katara who ran away and Chenlian who blocked. Rather than face the Avatar and Chenlian, the royal firebender pursued the Water Tribe girl out of the building. As she passed the entrance of the next house, Sokka jumped out at her and tried to hit her with his club but missed. The airbender and the red head came out and they, Sokka and Katara were pushing her back. Sokka happily asked Chenlian what she was doing here.

"Just passing by, fetching some lost guy, helping some friends, picking a fight with the princess of the Fire Nation..."

Before Zuko's eyes, Chenlian's form was replaced by Iroh who told him to get up. The teen grabbed his uncle's hand and hauled himself to his feet. The princess and the four traded blows but it was clear that she was outgunned and falling back in an orderly fashion. Suddenly she lost her footing and fell forwards, revealing Toph behind her.

"I thought you guys could use a little help." The earthbender noted. Katara genuinely smiled and thanked her. However, while they were enjoying their reunion, Azula got up and ran away. She fired a volley at them and fled into an alley. She was looking back, smirking, obviously gloating innerly about her easy escape, and didn't even notice Iroh right in front of her, like a human wall, who shoved her with his belly. She bounced off, looking utterly confused. Sokka, Aang, Katara, Toph, Chenlian, Zuko and Iroh were closing in on the Fire Nation princess whose back was now to the corner of a burnt out building. She had no place to run.

"Well, look at this. Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done." She raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honor." But then she noticed Iroh shifting his gaze momentarily from her to the girl with whom he had tea sometime earlier... so she was with the Avatar and his friends? Taking advantage of his distraction, she struck her uncle with a blast of blue fire square in the chest. He screamed and spun from the impact and fell, to Zuko's and Chenlian's horror. All benders fired at Azula simultaneously and Sokka threw his boomerang. The Fire Lord's daughter made a shield of blue fire, but the combined blows caused a tremendous explosion. Burning debris rained down. Roofs were on fire. But when the smoke cleared, Azula was gone.

Nearby, Zuko knelt in despair beside his uncle, who lay still on the ground. Chenlian was kneeling on the other side. Iroh groaned softly as the young man clenched his fist and teeth in rage and frustration. The others approached from behind.

"Get away from us!" The banished prince yelled. Toph looked watery eyed as she recognized the man she had befriended.

"Zuko, I can help!" Katara held out her hand.

"Zuko, we must accept!" Chenlian pleaded, grateful to Katara as she wasn't feeling too confident in her healing abilities right now. Even though she had practiced for that very purpose, to be able to do something in such circumstances, testing it so suddenly on someone so important with such an injury was somewhat unnerving...

"Leave!" The young man shouted, released an arch of fire over their heads. They ducked. The children looked at each other and called Chenlian. She smiled at them sadly and looked back at Iroh. She would have liked to follow them but now, she couldn't leave those two alone. They accepted her decision and ran away, leaving the firebenders amidst the burning ghost town.

Chenlian spread Iroh's shirt to see the wound and let her hands hover over it. She had practiced for that very moment... it was going to be fine... But then Zuko slapped her hands away and glared at her with deep resentment. Without the Avatar and his friends, things would have never become like this! It was their fault, and Chenlian's fault for siding with them! However, the shock bit back the pain. She snapped again and the punch left before she could control anything.

"What's more important?! Iroh or your pride?! We don't have time, yet you can't even let ME heal him?!" She yelled angrily before returning to the fallen old man. She was angry, upset, she wanted to cry but she had to calm down. She infused her chi in his body, repairing the damage, at least enough so they could move him. "If you can cry and rage, you can make a stretcher so we can move him to a safer place." The prince's eyes softened as he gazed at his uncle, at the care in the girl's expression. Once more, despite the way he had treated her, she had stayed for them, because she loved them... because she loved him... and even after everything... he loved her too. Was he unable to return to his father now? But he still had people he cared for. He had to help them. He stood up and went to search for wood and cloth that could be used to make a stretcher.

On Appa Aang and his friends returned to where they had left the saddle and their stuff and installed everything back. They flew to an inaccessible mountainside when the bison slumped and fell asleep right where he was. On the saddle, Sokka, Katara, Toph, Momo and Aang were sleeping in a line, the two girls in the middle.

* * *

**Author's note: First, I want to thank all those who favorited this story and/or put it in their alert subscription list... as well as the two who voted for it on the poll ^^. **

**And since I heard it would be more practical for the readers if I put the titles on the scroll-down menu and I was nicely asked, I decided to (try to remember to) do that from now on. For those already posted, that'll wait til a later date. **

**Also, starting next chapter, there'll be more Zuko/Chenlian and from end of chapter 33 onward, more cuteness, fluff, lovey-doveyness... ;)**


	33. Bitter work

**Fight 33: Bitter work**

"Today's the day! Can you believe it After all that time searching for a teacher,  
I'm finally starting earthbending! And this place... i-it's perfect! Don't you think Sokka ?" Aang excitedly leapt into the air. It was dawn, and they were inside a rocky canyon. Appa, Sokka and Katara were still sleeping. And so was Toph in her earth tent a little further away. The warrior rolled over slightly, glared at the airbender, moaned and turned back. The child whispered an apology. The ground shook and the rock tent exploded, revealing Toph standing with a fist in the air.

"Good morning earthbending student!" She greeted and walked up to her student who bowed a little.

"Good morning sifu Toph." He replied. Katara roused from her sleeping bag and remarked sleepily (and a bit resentfully too) that he had never called her 'sifu Katara'. The boy nervously scratched the back of his head. "Well, if you think I should..." The noise made Sokka sit up and growl at them.

"Sorry, snoozles. We'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can." The earthbender apologized with a mischievous smile and stomped the ground with her talon. The crack traveled to Sokka and a large spire of rock shot up underneath him. He screamed as he was launched high into the air and crashed back on the ground. He got up, still in his sleeping bag, and bounced toward Aang and Toph, grumbling angrily and inintelligbly before hopping away to a safe distance.

"So what move are you going to teach me first? Rockalanche ? The trembler ? Oh! Maybe I can learn to make a whirlpool out of land!" He made different moves to illustrate the names. Well, that was just him to get carried away and let his imagination fly before actually starting anything. It had been the same with firebending. The girl slapped a hand on his chest to stop him.

"Let's start with 'move a rock'." Toph still had her feet on the ground though. Aang was a total beginner. They went to another part of the canyon. Katara was sitting on a rock outcropping and watching while Aang and Toph were each standing in front of a boulder. The Blind Bandit explained that the key to earthbending is the stance. She lowered herself and widened the distance between her feet. Aang tried to imitate her. He'd got to be steady and strong. Rock was a stubborn element. If he was going to move it, he'd got to be like a rock himself. She easily shoved him. He clearly wasn't steady enough. He rubbed his side where she shoved him. She straightened up and showed him a pretty simple motion, suddenly getting to her low stance and punching, causing the boulder to shoot off into the distance and slam into the side of the canyon. Aang emulated her... and was the one sent backwards into Appa. The boy fell on his face.

"Rock beats airbender!" Sokka mocked.

A young Iroh was running up a grassy hill where a single tree was throning. His son, who was chasing him, pretended to do firebending motion with his hands.

"I got you, dad!" Lu Ten laughed. His father let out a cry of pain as he fell to the ground. The child jumped to lay sprawled on top of him and then they both laughed heartily. Years later, both the tree and his son had died. Iroh had placed a lamp and memorial to his son at the foot of the tree. Rain was falling heavily.

"My beloved Lu Ten, I will see you again." The grieving man said.

"Uncle!" Zuko yelled. His uncle woke up in a deserted, rundown shack. His nephew was concernedly looking down at him. Chenlian was there too, glad he had regained consciousness. "You were unconscious. Azula did this to you." The young man explained. The injured attempted to get up but winced in pain. A bandage was covering the left side of his chest and shoulder and he felt the slimy yet soothing texture of a poultice under the bandages. He saw a pot of honey, plantain leaves and aloe vera leaves. "It was a surprise attack."

"Somehow, that's not so surprising."Iroh grunted as he moved to lean up against the wall.

"'A princess surrenders with honor' huh? Truly... such honorable conduct as always..." The girl commented sarcastically. "Anyway, I prepared some food. You need strength to recover." She smiled and handed him a bowl and spoon. It was a sort of easily digestible puree of stinging nettles, dandelions, wild onions, thyme, as well as eggs and bird meat. She had also found prickly pears for dessert. "And Zuko made you tea." She smiled.

"I hope I made it the way you like it." The prince picked up a steaming cup and handed it to his uncle who took a sip. He made a very disgusted expression but recovered soon.

"Mmm, good." He finished the drink in one gulp, as if getting rid of some gross medicine. "That was very, uhh... bracing!" He smiled politely. As long as it could encourage that child... Zuko filled his cup again that Iroh emptied out the window when his nephew was pouring his own cup and not looking at him.

"So uncle, I've been thinking. It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say: she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her, but..." He glanced over at Chenlian... and back at him. The elderly noticed some awkwardness between the youngsters as well as a tiny bit of sourness left but made no mention or reaction.

"She's crazy and she needs to go down." The old man firmly asserted. The boy nodded. Iroh grunted as he stood up. "It's time to resume your training. Chenlian, you'll be participating too."

Katara climbed down and joined Toph and Aang next to the boulder the airbender had tried to move. She didn't understand what went wrong. He had done it exactly the way she did. The Avatar suggested there was another way, like coming at the boulder from a different angle ! His teacher grabbed him by the collar.

"No! That's the problem. You've got to stop thinking like an airbender." She knocked Aang's head lightly with her fist. "There's no different angle, no clever solution, no trickity trick that's going to move that rock." She shoved the boy who cried out and fell down. "You've got to face it head on. And when I say head on, I mean like this!" She jumped and shattered the rock with her head, startling her student who looked down, unsure of himself. Toph walked away. Katara caught up with her.

"I've been training Aang for a while now. He really responds well to a positive teaching experience, lots of encouragement and praise, kind words. If he's doing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction." The waterbender softly advised. Toph thanked her. A gentle nudge...

"Keep your knees high, twinkletoes!" The small blind girl shouted like a spartan coach.  
Twinkletoes was carrying a large rock on his back, obviously straining to hold up the weight. The earthbender sometimes caused pillars of earth to rise under Aang's feet as he walked. He soon lost his balance and fell.

For the next drill, Toph rubbed her hands together and shoved them effortlessly into a rock. The Avatar tried to do the same and only managed to hurt his hand. Then he had to keep the pose while she tested his resistance to stress and fear. He was sweating. Suddenly, she leapt out of the ground behind him and yelled 'Rocklike!' Again, he screamed, fell over and blinked in surprise. She earthbended him back up and flicked his forehead. The airbender grinned sheepishly. His face in her hand, Sokka grunted and strained to reach his club that Toph had taken from him and was holding out of his reach. She pushed him away, and left with no choice, he left with a sour expression. She handed the weapon to Aang, who was blindfolded. A distance away, the master began to kick the ground, causing columns of rock to emerge and sink back down. The goal was to sense them and destroy them. Although he could turn in the right direction and hit the right place, he was only in time to destroy to the fifth one. Toph nodded her approval of his sensory skills.

Now, for the following exercise... the teacher erected two walls on either side of them only one or two yards apart. She moved her fingers in a straight line in front of her and a line was drawn on the ground at her feet. She held up her fists and rocks covered her entire body except for her eyes like an armor. Aang gasped in surprise as she slid forward to bump against him. He extended his arms to stop her and slowly started to push her back. He lost a little ground, but finally managed to push her past the line. He had won. His next assignement was to toss heavy rocks with a handle and catch them... while standing on two tall and thin pillars to improve his stability. Once he showed enough ease, she tested him by hitting the pillars, causing tremors to run through them. She screamed again 'Rocklike!' The Avatar didn't budge. He looked quite determined. His professor rose on her own pillar of rock and nodded in approval. He grinned widely, proud of himself. He was definitely showing consistent progress.

While in another area of the canyon, where a few trees and bushes had managed to grow, a small baby mooselion started to eat a small patch of grass... observed from a tree by Sokka.

"You're awfully cute, but unfortunately for you, you're made of meat. Just a bit closer..." The warrior shrugged. He yelled as he jumped down to kill the small animal with his sword. He missed and landed in a crevice up to the waist. The baby stared at him cluelessly, walked up to him and wagged its tail. Sokka raised his weapong to strike. "Gotcha!" He fell deeper into the fissure and dropped his sword. He was now stuck up to his shoulders. He struggled to free himself, fruitlessly. "You are one lucky little meat creature." He sullenly pointed at the animal that playfully wagged its tail.

The three firebenders were having tea (this time made by Chenlian with chamomile) in the decrepit building, a small fire with a teapot sitting on it between them. The retired general explained that lightning was a pure expression of firebending, without aggression. It was not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending was. Some called lightning the cold-blooded fire. It was precise and deadly, like Azula. To perform the technique required peace of mind.

"I see. That's why we're drinking tea: to calm the mind." His nephew remarked. Chenlian choked a little on her drink, stifling her laugh. That guy was so gullible, and so stiff. And while it was true that chamomile had calming effects which were good in this situation, she just wanted some nice flavor for the tea.

"Oh, yeah, good point! I mean, yes." The old one followed up. He loved tea. That was really all there was to it.

Iroh, Chenlian and Zuko were standing on the edge of the hill overlooking the valley with the abandoned village where the three-way battle had taken place.

"There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang; positive energy and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance and in a moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together. You provide release and guidance, creating lightning." The old man made the children step back, extended his index and middle finger and, rotating his arms, generated lightning he shot into the distance.

"I'm ready to try it!" The boy asserted, amazed by such raw power. Chenlian frowned when she saw the greed, the hunger for that power on his face, as if he had been possessed. She had started learning it because she knew Azula would learn it. She wanted to be able to fight on equal footing with her. But although she had of course felt awe, she had also felt fear before that power. And she had proceeded extra cautiously. Guang had been helping her too, as well as Ryuho.

"Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide. Breathe first." Iroh advised, rubbing his injury. Zuko breathed in and closed his eyes. He reproduced the motions... and tried to shoot despite the lack of any trace of lightning, causing a fiery explosion that propelled him backward. He landed on his back next to Iroh who shook his head. The explosion had left a smoking black mark on the ground. "Chenlian, from what I saw on Azula's ship, you already can produce lightning, right? Show me." He ordered. As instructed, the young woman took her time calming down, breathing, concentrating, and went through the motion and successfully generated a lightning bolt... to Zuko's dismay, envy, and frustration. "Timewise, I assume you started learning it at the North Pole, no even earlier..." The elder suspected.

"Yes. Somehow while en route to the Water Tribe we stumbled upon my grandfather and I got instructions from him. So for a while I only focused on channeling energy and emptying my mind, as well as the feeling of separating energy. But I only worked on it for real at the Northern Water Tribe. I also received help from the waterbenders, since the yin and yang also play a key role in their art, and that one too. But..."

"You still don't have it completely down." Iroh raised her hand. Her fingertips had been slightly burnt. "And doing it in the midst of a battle is different. However, continued and excessive use will cause burns, so don't get lost in your training, trying to get it one go and overdoing things like you tend to!"

"I have already been warned about it. That's why I make sure to balance it with my healing practice. And to recover I combine my search for ingredients with moderate activity I gradually increase and vary. This also allows for more proper meals and restoration of energy." She replied knowingly.

"Oh... good then." The old man blinked. "But on Azula's ship, you tried to defend against her lightning with yours, right? It can't be done! You were lucky I was there too. It doesn't work so do not ever try that again!"

"I knew that already too. I didn't try to counter her lightning with mine. I tried to get her before she got me." The girl explained patiently.

"Oh... I see... geez, to think you've become so composed and reliable."

"Well, it's been many years since you've last helped me train." Chenlian smiled innocently.

"Hm? Wait..." Iroh approached and stared at her very insistantly... and suspiciously... to the point she started feeling rather uncomfortable... "You... you actually WANTED to make your lightning clash, didn't you?" He asked accusingly.

"Errr... that's..." The girl sheepishly averted her eyes. It couldn't be helped! She and Azula had always been something like rivals. Besides, pitting will against will, strength against strength... that sort of straightforward clash to determine who was better... wasn't it really... well, the best? Who could generate the best bolt? But it couldn't be, so she had decided, tried to make it a contest of speed instead. Though now that she thought about it, rather than get carried away and try to turn the situation into a contest, she should have been more practical and got Azula with a simple but quick, sure 'kill' firebending move.

For Aang's earthbending training, Toph decided to try a different approach. Instead of moving a rock, he was going to stop a rock. At her order, he widened his stance. He was standing before a trail leading up an angled cliff behind her. She pointed at the boulder at the top of said trail. She was going to roll it down at him. If he had the attitude of an earthbender, he would stay his stance and stop the rock. She showed him the right motion. Katara was worried, but Aang was downright terrified. The waterbender tried to save the Avatar by expressing her doubts about this method.

"I'm glad you said something. Actually, there is a better way." Toph took off Aang's belt and blindfolded him with it. "This way he'll really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Thank you Katara." She gave her a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, thanks Katara!" The airbender agreed sarcastically. Katara let out a small nervous and sheepish laugh.

The earthbending master pushed the boulder that rolled down the slope, gaining speed. Katara covered her mouth with her hands, a worried look on her face. As he heard it fast approaching, Aang grew more frightened by the second. He started sweating from the stress. At the last second, he jumped over the boulder that rolled past Katara and slammed into the side of the canyon. He landed and removed the blindfold, as his teacher ran up to him, glaring at him fiercely and disapprovingly.

"I guess I just panicked. I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing to say! You blew it! You had a perfect stance and perfect form but when it came right down to it you didn't have the GUTS!" She lightly punched his chest, knocking him down. He sat at her feet with his legs crossed and apologized. He knew she was right. She leant down, looking right into his face. "Yeah, you are sorry. If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you could at least give me the pleasure of smashing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock like an earthbender?!"

"No. I don't think I do." The boy sadly looked down. Toph straightened up and crossed her arms as Katara walked over and comfortingly placed her hands on his shoulders. It was no big deal. He could just take a break and try earthbending again when he was ready. Besides, he still had a lot of waterbending to work on. He weakly agreed and they left.

"Yeah, whatever, go splash around until you feel better." The earthbender walked in the opposite direction.

Zuko's training was going just as badly. He kept getting blown back by explosions and had yet to create even a spark of electricity. He clenched his fists frustratedly. And he felt even worst as unlike him Chenlian was doing quite well. He understood that it was only to be expected since she had started practicing lightning generation much earlier than him, but that still didn't make him feel any better. Iroh watched on while leaning against the shack.

"Why can't I do it?! Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face! Like everything always does!" He stormed as he stood up. His uncle stood up and came over to him.

"I was afraid this might happen. You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you." His teacher lamented.

"What turmoil?!" the young man turned to his uncle and raged. Chenlian stopped and sighed. If only he could listen to himself. She knew his personality, his tendency to compare himself to others, and notably to his sister and to her. She was aware that she was partly to blame for his current state of mind. There was the fact that she could create lightning when he still couldn't of course but her situation certainly played a good part too. He loved her, but with everything she had told him, her past, her beliefs, her position regarding his father, the Avatar... He really didn't know where to stand. He also kept failing lately and she was a good reason for that too. But he had to overcome that, or at least be able to put everything aside if he wanted to create lightning.

"Then why do you always yell and sound so irritated? You ARE in turmoil. You need to face your feelings concerning your family, the Avatar, and me. Run after too many hares and you won't be able to catch any. That's why things haven't been going well. Many things changed. That's a moment when you need to take a good look around. Rushing in head first like you always do will only make you keep tripping."

"It all would be fine if you'd just help me catch the Avatar!"

"I'll protect you against Azula, the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, the Water Tribes. But I'll protect the Avatar against you because he's my friend, and he's what the world need. He will end this war. **_I_** want to end this war. But the best would be that we stopped this war together. More than anything, that's what I want."

"You're choosing him over me?!"

"I chose not to choose. You're both precious to me. I am with you because I love you. What about you? Can you choose between your father and me?" She was keeping calm, or trying to. She was simply speaking her feelings. But the answer to this question was one she always dreaded. And unwittingly, she used defiance to hide her fear and hopes, although they were still too strong to be entirely concealed. There was a long pause. It was Iroh who broke the silence.

"Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame at all! I'm as proud as ever!" The banished prince caught the lifeline.

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the object of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame."

"Well... my life has been nothing but humbling lately."

"Pride has nothing to do with wealth, does it?" Chenlian snapped, annoyed by his endless complaining and indecisiveness. "It isn't defined by the number and value of your possessions but by your personality. A truly proud person is a person who knows their worth. Someone who can keep walking the path they believe in even if the world is against them... someone who wouldn't mind being lynched, or trampled in order to survive, to save someone, to accomplish what they had set to do... Don't they have more pride than those who wallow in gold and finery? Being covered in mud sweat and blood isn't shameful, it means you know hardships and you're strong enough to do what it takes to achieve your goal. Overcoming adversity is what makes someone truly proud. Relying on worldly possessions or caring so much about how others look at you... isn't that just being shallow?" She cut to the quick again. Even if there was truth in her words that stirred his heart and warmed him on the inside as it made him see that maybe, their situation wasn't as bad as he thought, the way she said it was too heavy-handed and abrasive to let slide. However, Iroh was there to skilfully defuse the conflict.

"I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself!" The old man proudly pointed a thumb at himself. The teens smiled, their hot temper cooling down instantly, or rather, shifting onto something else.

"You probably think I deserve this, don't you?" Sokka, still stuck in the crevice, asked the baby mooselion curled on his head and that peered over his forehead to look at his eyes. "Look, I'm sorry I hunted you, but that's just the natural order of things! Big things eat smaller things, nothing personal! But this time it didn't work out that way." He justified himself. The little one yawned and then walked in a circle on Sokka's head like a cat on a lap before lying down again and closing its eyes. "I admit it. You're cute." The boy acknowledged. The mooselion began licking its paws. "Okay, you've convinced me. If I get out of this alive, it's a comically correct vegetarian existence for me. No meat. Even though meat is **_so_** tasty." Then the baby beast jumped off and left. A bug flew over and buzzed around Sokka's face. He groaned and struggled to swat it away with his trapped hands, in vain. The bug landed on his head. He had lost. But then he perked up suddenly and the bug flew away as the tiny mooselion ran back with an apple in its mouth. It stopped and rolled the fruit toward Sokka. "It looks like my karma is already paying off!" However, it seemed his good resolution wasn't enough as the apple didn't reach him. He tried to meet the little cute one halfway, struggled to reach his boomerang he tossed at the apple. "Now come back boomerang." But of course, it didn't. The cub's tail twitched cutely.

Waist-high in a pond full of reeds, Aang and Katara were practicing their waterbending by moving around a ball of water between them while Momo was hunting frogs. She tried to gently make him loosen up. This block was only temporary. But he didn't want to talk about it. She remarked it was exactly his problem, avoiding the issue instead of facing it.

"I know I know I know I know, I get it, alright!" He snapped in frustration, letting the water fall back into the pond. "I need to face it head-on, like a rock. But I just can't do it! I don't know why I can't, but I can't."

"Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" The waterbender questioned. The Avatar supposed it was earth. "That's why it's so hard for you to get this. You're working with your natural opposite. But you'll figure it out. I know you will." She stealthily broke off a reed and suddenly hurled it at Aang without warning. "Think fast!" She yelled. Surprised, Aang lookedup and sliced the stem in half with a thin wave. The two halves passed harmlessly on either side of him. She praised him. That was excellent. He had the reflexes of a waterbending master.

"Thanks, Katara... _Sifu_ Katara." He put his hands together and bowed. The girl smiled, touched, and bowed as well.

Zuko was sitting cross-legged and intently watching the drawings his uncle was doing on the ground with a stick. First Iroh drew a flame and started the lecture. Fire was the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want. Then he drew the earthbenders' rock symbol. Earth was the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom were diverse and strong. They were persistent and enduring. He followed with the Air Nomads' symbol. Air was the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had a pretty good sense of humor! Iroh smiled widely, but Zuko didn't react. Chenlian sighed. Indeed, if you took from Aang the fact that he was the Avatar, then he was just a goofy kid, and his love for amusement had put them through the wringer more than once. And at last he traced the Water Tribe mark. Water was the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe were capable of adapting to many things. They had a deep sense of community and love that held them together through anything. The prince asked why he was telling him those things.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale." He drew lines separating the four symbols in the dirt. "Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole." He made a circle that included all elements.

"All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff." Zuko noted.

"It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But, it can make you more powerful too." He poked his nephew's chest with his stick. "And Chenlian is proof of it."

"Right. I had to learn the other bending disciplines, well, their motions, and their philosophies so that my grandfather would teach me firebending. Zuko, be it in bending or hand-to-hand combat, don't you remember having seen some of my forms used by other people?" The woman questioned. Her friend nodded after a time. The Avatar, that waterbender girl, the earthbenders... Her fluidity and knack for turning her opponent's power against them, and her capacity to adapt and be immovable depending on the circumstances... But she hadn't only taken in the forms of those other arts...

"You see, the technique I am about to teach you is one I learned by studying the waterbenders." The retired general smiled confidently. The prince looked down, intrigued. He was starting to see the light of hope.

Aang was sitting on a rock, meditating, with Momo sleeping at his feet. Toph came and sat down. She had found these nuts in his bag (obviously for personal use only from the crude picture of his head drawn on the pouch) and thought he wouldn't mind. Well, even if he did, he was too much of a pushover to do anything about it. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, annoyed, and replied that as a matter of fact, he didn't mind. He was happy to share anything he had. He closed his eyes and started meditating again. Actually, she was really glad he felt that way... because she also had this great new nutcracker... namely, Aang's glider. The boy looked over his shoulder with a pained expression as Toph smiled widely and smashed the staff down on a nut.

"Actually, I'd prefer if you didn't... That's an antique, hand crafted by the monks... It's a delicate instrument!" He tried to gently reason... despite cringing each time a crack was heard. The girl ate the nuts with Momo and mockingly replied it wasn't the only delicate instrument around here. She walked off with the lemur on her shoulder, hitting rocks with Aang's glider as she did. The Avatar glared at her and returned to his meditation to try and calm down. Then Katara came up behind him.

"Hey Aang, have you seen—"

"Meditating here!" He interrupted her, annoyed. But she insisted, concered. It was important. It was almost sundown and Sokka wasn't back yet. They should search for him. The airbender stood up and agreed to search with her. They split up in order to find him faster.

Meantime, the baby mooselion was playfully biting and pulling on Sokka's 'warrior wolf tail'... while the young man was desperetaly the karma person or thing, whoever was in charge of this stuff begging to be let out. He decided to increase the stakes of his negociations and offered to give up meat AND sarcasm... just as a strong tug from the tiny animal freed his hair that became a fuzzy mess.

"That's all I got! It's pretty much my whole identity! Sokka, the meat and sarcasm guy! But I'm willing to be Sokka the veggies and straight talk fellow! Deal?" Just then, he was found by Aang. Sokka thanked goodness and asked if he had any meat. The airbender ran to him, glad he was okay, and started pulling on his friends' trapped arms to free him. Since it didn't work, they tried airbending that failed just the same. There was no other choice but to use earthbending, even though Aang was new at this. The monk looked down, unsure, before his expression turned to sadness.

"I can't. I can't do it." The Avatar affirmed. It annoyed Sokka who told him to get Toph if he couldn't do it. But Aang couldn't do that either since it would be 'really uncomfortable.'

"Uncomfortable... Well, I wouldn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." The warrior commented sarcastically from his quite cramped and dangerous situation. But since he was so engrossed in his own problems, the monk failed to notice the irony, and not only did he thank him for his 'consideration' but also crouched down and started talking about his problems. This whole earthbending thing had him really confused. There was so much pressure. Everyone expected him to get it right away. It put him in a really awkward position. "Awkward position... I think I know the feeling." The older teen mused, just as ironically. He knew what it meant to be under pressure as well (from the earth). Aang kept complaining. If he tried, he failed, but if he didn't try, he couldn't get it. It was like being caught between a rock and a hard place. The Water Tribe youth also sympathised with that feeling. "Hmm. How about that? Aang, this is my friend Foo Foo Cuddlypoops. Foo Foo Cuddlypoops, Aang." He made the introductions.

"Aww, what a cute name for a little baby sabertooth mooselion cub." Aang lifted the cub in the air. Sokka wasn't of the same mind though. That thing looked nothing like a sabertooth mooselion. "It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in. Whatcha doin' out here, little guy ? Did you lose your mama ?" The child questioned. The cub cutely blinked. A roar was heard. Surprised, Aang looked over his shoulder and saw a huge adult sabertooth mooselion standing in the bushes. It roared menacingly again.

Meanwhile, Zuko, Chenlian and Iroh were practicing simple waterbending moves. The elder explained that waterbenders dealt with the flow of energy. They let their defense become their offense, turning their opponents' energy against them (at this, Zuko painfully recalled Chenlian's heavy use of that tactic, and how many times it had got him). He had learned a way to do this with lightning.

"You can teach me to redirect lightning." His nephew instantly understood... and was all excited about it. Iroh nodded.

"With this I trust you won't try anything stupid again, Chenlian." He stared suspiciously and insistently at the girl who smiled embarrassedly. Over the years, she had successfully managed to become a cautious, level-headed person who carefully thought before acting (though rarely before speaking). She could see clearly the path and steps she ought to take. However, even now, she could hardly resist a challenge, and that habit could prove quite damning. Someone could take advantage of it. But right now, there should be no need to worry about that. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." He pointed with his right arm at an angle into the air and pointed at it with his other hand. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder and down into your stomach." He demonstrated "The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like a vast ocean." He laughed in good-natured self derision but it seemed like Zuko's face was carved in stone. He continued. "You direct it up again and out the other arm." He pointed off into the distance with his left arm. "The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart." he walked up to young man and pointed his fingers at his chest. "Or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow. Like this." He pointed to the left with both his arms and the teens did the same. Iroh then moved his right fingers down to his left shoulder, stomach, up to his right shoulder and pointed it in the other direction in a fluid motion that the youths copied. They repeated the movements with the other arms. "Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out ?"

"I think so." The boy said. Chenlian kept quiet, too busy concentrating. They still practiced until late, until Iroh was finally satisfied and praised the children on their excellent form. The sun was about to set. The exiled prince bowed slightly. "Great! I'm ready to try it with real lightning!"

"What?! Are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous!" The old man looked at his nephew like all the explosions had addled his brain.

"I thought that was the point: you teaching me how to protect myself from it!" The scarred youngster retorted, aggravating his uncle all the more as he clearly failed to realize his sheer recklessness. Well, the girl understood his point but...

"But I'm not going to shoot lightning at you! If you are lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all." The retired general waved his arms before turning away from his nephew and glancing back at him out of the corner of his eye. Zuko turned to Chenlian.

"I don't even have enough confidence to pull either technique. I cannot take the risk to hurt you." She averted her eyes. The young man gazed at the dark clouds in the distance.

"Well, if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning." He declared. Iroh tightly shut his eyes in distress. And soon, Zuko was again riding away on the ostrich-horse. As much as it pained her, she let him go alone, knowing sometimes you needed to scream and feel the rain on your face to wash everything away and release all your pent up feelings.

Aang nervously tried to reassure and coax the mother mooselion as he returned her baby but it didn't work and it growled and roared. The cub after cuddling a bit with its parent hid in the bushes. Sokka franctically begged his friend to get him out of here. The beast charged. The trapped teen screamed but the monk airbended the animal over his head. It landed on the other side, skidded, and turned back. There was really no other choice but to use earthbending to free Sokka! The Avatar went through some motions to no effect. The mooselion roared and prepared for another charge. Aang changed tactics. He jumped on a rock outcropping away from Sokka and tried to draw the beast's attention. He only kept it for a few seconds though and it charged again towards Sokka. The child leapt down and shoved it aside with a gust of air but the animal still didn't give up and turned back to them.

"Please don't leave me again." Sokka pleaded, terrified.

"I won't." The Avatar replied full of determination. The mooselion attacked. Firmly planted, Aang waited and with a strong gale, hurled the angry mother backwards. It stood back up and walked away, admitting it loss. Then they heard someone slowly clapping. It was Toph who was coolly sitting on a rock. When the Water Tribesman asked her what she was doing here , she replied she was just enjoying the show. "What?! You were there the whole time ?!"

"Pretty much."

"Why didn't you do something ?! Sokka was in trouble! I was in trouble! You could've gotten him out and helped us get away!" The outraged airbender accused.

"I guess it just didn't occur to me." She lied flatly, clearly unaffected. She tossed down a nut and then pulled out Aangs staff to crack it. As she brought it down, Aang caught it.

"Enough! I want my staff back!" He affirmed with strength as he took his glider back. His earthbending teacher stood up and jumped off the rock, standing right in front of him.

"Do it now." She ordered. Still angry, he asked what. "Earthbend, twinkletoes. You just stood your ground against a crazy beast, and even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff."

"But..."

"DO IT!" The girl yelled. After a moment of confusion, the Avatar stomped down and shoved his fist forward, causing a large rock to shoot off and crash into a ridge. "You did it! You're an earthbender." Toph excitedly praised him. As incredulous as he was, Aang was also very happy.

"Aww, this is really a wonderful, touching moment. So, could you get me out of her so I can give you both a big, snuggly hug ?" Sokka inquired. The monk was about to do it (and seemed quite eager to test his most recent skill) when his teacher stopped him. Since he was still a little new to this, it was better to let her do it, or he might accidentally crush him. "Yeah, no crushing please." He smiled. And so, Toph finally freed him.

It was starting to get dark when they finally returned to camp, the girl holding the staff again and Aang supporting Sokka. Katara ran to them overjoyed and relieved that they had found her brother. She hugged him.

"The whole time that I was in that hole, not knowing if I would live or die, it makes a man think about what's really important. I realize-" Sokka began before his emotional speech was cut off by the Avatar crying for Katara's attention. He showed her his earthbending.

"You did it! I knew you would!" The waterbender elatedly praised him before glancing at Toph. "You tried the positive reinforcement, didn't you ?" She whispered.

"Yep. It worked wonders." The little one replied. Next, Aang decided to show off to Appa.

"Appa! Appa! I can earthbend now! The key is being completely rooted! Physically and mentally unmovable!" He bragged, in position, but then his furry friend licked him, and the push made him fly forward and crash on his face. He still needed lots of training after all. His companions laughed, especially Sokka.

In the middle of the rainstorm, Zuko was standing at the peak of a small rock mountain, glaring at the clouds.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me! Well I can take it! And now I can give it back! Come on! Strike me! You've never held back before!" He screamed defiantly at the sky, as if challenging God, or Destiny, or whatever could be in control and had made him suffer like this. He waited, but nothing came. He closed his eyes and a stream of tears flowed from his good eye as the rain soaked his body and heart. He raised his arms and shouted, releasing all his pent-up frustration, rage, sorrow, and shame... before collapsing onto his hands and knees. And then, after hours, he returned. But soon, he saw Chenlian sitting on a rock, clearly waiting for him, the eel hound next to her. Since they were close to the storm even if it wasn't raining here, the wind was violent, cold and penetrating. Still, she seemed completely fine. She jumped down and approached him. That was when he noticed she was drenched. Could it be that she had followed him?

"Welcome back." The girl smiled sweetly. But those simple words and smile contained all her feelings, the relief, sincerity, how glad she was that he was back... and how she loved him. And Zuko felt it really strongly. He was back, he was not alone, and no matter where they were, he had someone who loved him and who was waiting for his return... someone he loved back. He suddenly hugged her very tightly.

"Did you come for me?"

"Of course. While carrying woes on your back, you struggle, you trip, you fall, you get lost, you get hurt, and still you don't give up and keep walking while intently looking forward, no matter how treacherous the road. That's because you're like this that I've always felt proud of you, that I can't leave you alone... and that I came to love you." Chenlian held him back. And in the chilling wind, he felt her strength and warmth seep through him and envelop him. The young man tilted her head and a hand on the nape of her neck, another wrapped around her waist and firmly pressing her against him, he kissed her. She was surprised at first but she soon responded to his sweet and mesmerizing tenderness and kissed him back. They pulled away.

"I love you." Zuko said softly, his forehead against hers. Chenlian smiled, caressed his cheek and kissed him again. Their tongues met and tangled. Their embrace grew more passionate, ardent. While the colors of regrets, doubts and truth were still swirling in his heart, could Zuko throw his pride as Crown Prince away and be simply proud to be Zuko, Chenlian's boyfriend? That embrace made him feel that perhaps, he could. Even if every day was in the midst of a revolution, they wanted to be with each other. Right now, that was their truth.


	34. Oasis

**Fight 34: Oasis**

Aang was sitting cross legged in a practically barren prairie. The ground in front of him was littered with holes while behind him stood his travelling companions. He played a note on a flute and a prairie dog emerged from a hole and sang the same note. It descended back as Aang laughed. Like this, he kept playing with the animals and joked he was putting an orchestra together. Momo started to want to play too and tried the catch the surfacing prairie dogs, in vain, though he nicely succeeded in making Katara laugh. Sokka however, was clearly uninterested, besides they had more important things to worry about . They should be making plans. There was no time for vacations.

"I'm learning the elements as fast as I can. I practice hard everyday with Toph and Katara. I've been training my arrow off." The Avatar looked up at his friend. Katara agreed. What was wrong with having a little fun in their downtime ?

"Even if you do master all of the elements, then what? It's not like we have a map of the fire nation. Should we just head west until we reach the Fire Lord's house ?" He acted out his 'suggestion'. "Knock knock! Hello, Fire Lord Anybody home ? I don't think so. Also, we'll need to find Chenlian, or at least a way to contact her, so when it's time, she can teach you firebending."

"Well, if it's Chenlian, she certainly won't teach me until I get more proficient at earthbending. And I'm sure she can find us even if we can't find her. Besides..." Aang looked down in apprehension. When he'd remembered his disastrous and traumatizing first experience with firebending he was no longer so eager to learn...

"Anyway, we need some intelligence if we're gonna win this war." Sokka insisted. The Avatar played a little more and stood up.

"Alright, we'll finish our vacations, and then we'll look for Sokka's intelligence." The waterbender cracked, raising an eyebrow. The monk laughed. Since it was Katara's turn to choose the location of their next mini-vacation , she looked at Aang's map and decided on the Misty Palms Oasis . It sounded refreshing. The boy rejoiced as he had been there before. It was a pristine natural ice spring, and he usually didn't use the word pristine. It was one of nature's wonders.

Chenlian's spirit returned to her body. She had taken advantage of the quick break she, Iroh and Zuko had made to explore the surroundings. Strangely though, the eel hound had disappeared one day and never came back. She couldn't explain why. Well, they still had the ostrich horse so it was alright, but that eel hound had been rather convenient. She regretted the loss, but the circumstances of its acquisition had been quite odd too, so she decided not to think too much about it. Anyway, she had found a really good place to rest. She led them to a hidden paradise, nestled in a canyon. There was a tall waterfall tumbling down in a large pool of turquoise water before gently cascading down small rocky formations. They settled in another abandonned house. It appeared this place used to be a small farm from the trough taken over by lotus and the vegetables now growing wildly in the patch. They could also see the footprints of many animals drawn by the water. After a meal, the teens trained again under Iroh's watch, Zuko in firebending and lightning redirection, Chenlian in lightning generation, redirection, and healing. That ability of hers, coupled with her knowledge of medicine, had really helped the old man whose wound was healing nicely.

The girl finished earlier and left. She entered the basin and swam a little before lazily drifting around and staring at the sky. She couldn't hear anything but the water and her own heart. It felt like it had been years since she had last been able to relax like this even though it had only been a few months... since the North Pole. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes. But Zuko had assumed she had gone into the woods to look for things to eat and did the same. He spotted some fruit trees but that's all. How did Chenlian do it? All she did was pick some weeds and flowers and dig up some roots! How could she turn them into food? How did she know where, when, and what to pick?! How did she catch animals? How did she know where to find eggs? And that poultice... where did she get that medical knowledge? In his search, he stumbled and saw Chenlian floating in the pool, her eyes closed. Reminded of his uncle's fallen form, he suddenly got very and unreasonably scared and ran inside the water. Alerted by the racket, Chenlian stood up and looked around. She had water at chest level. She noticed Zuko, apparently frozen in mid step. His flustered expression was rather cute and comical but there were also traces of fear.

"What happened? Why are you in such a hurry?" She questioned.

"It's nothing." He averted his eyes, looking a bit sullen. The young woman smiled tenderly.

The Avatar's group arrived at the village, which had become somewhat derelict. Appa was left to wait outside while the children entered the village. The actual Misty Palms Oasis was much, much smaller than hoped, imagined, or remembered. All the buildings were made of mud. Aang, Katara and Toph went in an eatery but then one of the men loitering by the doorway and dressed in light brown clothing and rags spat at the ground right at Sokka's feet before he could enter. The toothless man grinned, obviously picking a fight. Sokka glared at him and balled his fists, clearly in the mood to answer the provocation. But before the situation could degenerate, Katara pulled her brother inside.

The patrons were very few, no more than five. Some were sleeping. A man at the counter asked for one mango. The bartender nodded and pulled both swords from their crossed sheaths on his back. On his left was a block of ice where bowls had been chiselled. He swung at one of the bowls, cutting it from the stack, then picked it up with both swords and placed it on a cutting board. He then cut down four fruits that were hanging overhead and rapidly diced the fruit into pulp that he picked with the blades and dumped in the bowl. He seized the pitcher with the swords too and poured water into the bowl to complete the drink. He added a bamboo straw and a small, green umbrella as the finishing touch. The customer took the drink and payed. From the doorway, Aang and Katara smiled at the bartender's skill while Sokka stared thoughtfully. He didn't see anything wrong with having one of those fruity beverages while they planned their strategy. The warrior shoved Aang and Toph and went to the bar to order a drink. The others walked in too. Just as the man turned around and took a step, he bumped into the monk. The liquid spilled it onto the airbender's outfit. Aang reassured him, he'd clean up easy. He bended a gust around him that dried his clothes... and caused everyone else's clothes to be blown back. The man in white gasped in amazement.

"You're a living relic!" He exclaimed in awe.

"Thanks. I try."

"An Air Nomad, right in front of me." Then as the water siblings and Toph ordered their drinks, the man bowed and introduced himself. "Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." He grabbed the boy's hand and examined it. As he wanted to know which of the Air temples the child hailed from, Aang answered he came from the southern temple. The scholar started measuring Aang's skull with a pair of calipers and speaking excitedly. "Oh splendid! Now tell me, what was the primary agricultural product of your people ?"

"Uh, are fruit pies an agricultural product ?" The Avatar replied. The professor commented it was truly fascinating and wrote in his journal. And since he appeared to be a  
well traveled guy (from all stuff he was carrying) Sokka asked if he had a more current map as theirs seemed to be a little dated. Zei agreed. Now that everyone had a drink of their own, Sokka unrolled the map on a table before examining it. But to his great disappointment, it didn't have the Fire Nation. Actually, it showed only a portion of the Earth Kingdom, with the Si Wong Desert at the center. Katara noted the professor had made a lot of trips into the desert. According to him though they were all in vain as despite having found lost civilizations all over the Earth Kingdom, he had yet to discover the 'crown jewel'... Wan Shi Tong's Library. Toph couldn't believe one would spend years walking through the desert to find some guy's library. However, this library was more valuable than gold. It was said to contain a vast collection of knowledge, and knowledge... was priceless. According to legend, it was built by the great knowledge spirit, Wan Shi Tong, with the help of his foxy knowledge seekers. Sokka imagined attractive (human female) assistants and was shoved by his sister for his impure thoughts. Surely the professor meant those seekers looked like actual foxes. Zei explained that they collected books from all over the world, and put them on display for mankind to read, so that humans might better themselves. He took another parchment from his pouch and showed them an architectural drawing of a building with many domes and spires.

"If this place has books from all over the world, do you think they've got info on the Fire Nation , a map maybe ?" The warrior was not about to get captivated by the idea of obtaining the wisdom of this world in his hands and lose sight of his goal. The learned man didn't know, but if such a thing existed, it was in Wan Shi Tong's Library. However, both were so fixated on their goal that they lost sight of the closest things. Such maps could be brought in any normal shop. And the others were so preoccupied by their vacation that they failed to remember it too. "Aang, I do believe it's my turn. I'd like to spend my vacation AT THE LIBRARY!" He ended yelling and pointing his finger at the ceiling for a dramatic effect. And so it was settled. Toph protested. When would she get to pick? Well, she gotta work here a little longer before she qualified for vacation time. The earthbender angrily slammed her bowl on the table before crossing her arms and pouting. Now the problem would be to find that library. The professor had made several trips into the desert and nearly died each time. Surely, it was impossible. So Sokka offered to introduce their sky bison to him, causing him to once more voice his amazement. After finishing their bowls, they left the village to see four men in rags menacingly approaching Appa who was growling and scooting away from them.

"Sandbenders! Shoo! Away from the bison!" Professor Zei commanded as he ran to them. The sandbenders walked away and climbed onto sand gliders. One of them created a whirlwind of sand underneath the sail, causing the glider to move forward.

"Zuko, you wouldn't rush here and make all this racket for nothing. What is it?" Chenlian questioned as she approached Zuko. He poutily and sarcastically excused himself for the racket. She ignored his mood and studied his expression. "Did you think that something had happened to me and made me unconscious, causing you to worriedly run here to make sure I was alright?" She ventured. Seeing his scowl deepen, her smile broadened. "I see. Thank you, and sorry to have worried you."

"I thought you were in the woods." He said, still a bit sulky.

"Oh, is that what you were doing there, looking for me?" She inquired, smiling, as she took a tiny twig with a leaf from his hair and twirled it between her fingers. "Or was there another reason?" She tested him.

"I was just exploring and looking for food. I wasn't looking for you." Her knowing and teasing tone were somewhat vexing. He couldn't so easily admit that he was actually looking for her and that the food was secondary.

"Even though you can't recognize ingredients when you see them?" She bluntly pointed out with a taunting edge. The exiled prince kept quiet. She might be right but she really had a knack for twisting knives in wounds. "Well, you still try even if you're not good. That's one of your best qualities." She placed the twig on the surface and let the current carry it away to die or take root somewhere. "Never stop thinking, making efforts, trying to improve yourself, learn as much as you can. That's what draw others and make them want to help." Her teasing smile turned so warm and sincere, her expression so tender, even though he had tried to upset her. Seeing her be so honest with her feelings, so forgiving, made him feel as if he was behaving like a child and his heart would twinge as if pricked by a thorn. It was like she was saying: 'why don't you try being honest too?'

He looked up and stared. They were knee-deep in the water. She was in underwear. And while he naturally found her a dazzling beauty, the water dripping down that slender body that glistened under the sun and moved with grace, those firm yet supple muscles, the alluring curves, the long hair, the charming face... and more than anything those eyes that looked straight at him as if nothing else existed. But now, what stirred him were the countless scars on that body. He had always thought of her as a genius. That everything came easy to her. But then what were all those scars? Some were so old, and others seemed really recent. She never complained, never said a word. She was always so casual, so confident.

And now, for the first time, he saw her true strength. She had worked harder than anyone else. She too, had kept tripping, getting hurt, standing back up and walking forward. They were actually the same. No. Looking at her body, it was obvious she had suffered much more. No wonder she sometimes talked to him like he was some half-assed pampered brat. Really, he had much more efforts to do if he wanted to call himself her equal in strength and endurance. And he was also one who had deeply hurt her. How much he regretted it. The guilt seemed to squeeze his heart like a clamp. Why? Even though he had always wanted to be one to protect her? He embraced her, like he never wanted to let go, like he was afraid of breaking her, like tightly holding a treasure close to his heart. He simply wanted to comfort her, to love her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the hurtful things I said and did to you. I was the one who kept talking even though I didn't know, wasn't I?"

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Chenlian wondered awkwardly. She wasn't used to such earnest meekness or apologies from him and didn't know how to react. But she nonetheless wrapped her arms around him too. He held her face in both hands, gazing straight at her with passion and sincerity.

"I love you. I want to be with you. I want to know more about you. What exactly happened to you during those years? What made you suffer? How did you get those scars? What have you learned? And... will you teach me about plants?" He inquired.

"Of course." The girl answered after a time. Her smile was so radiant. "And I love you too." She added. Zuko leant in and pressed his lips against hers. After a few seconds, the kiss grew more intense, impassioned as his hands moved down and around her to pull her to him and their tongues entwined. She was like the sun, but also like an oasis. She had thorns and traps of course but being like this made him realize again... even if he was alone, she'd still be there for him, embrace him gently and heal him and his wounded heart. In fact she was still there like this despite how much he had hurt her, how many times he had pushed her away and left her, she still smiled at him like this, held him, loved him.

Appa was flying over the seemingly endless sea of sand. Sokka had taken his shirt off and tied it onto his head to protect himself from the sun. He started looking around with his spyglass. Aang and Zei were sitting on Appa's head. The man leant forward to speak to the flying bison. He asked the animal if he was the last of his breed . Appa responded with a low roar.

"Oh, delightful! I only wish I spoke his tongue." The scholar exclaimed. He ran his fingers through the bison's fur. "Oh the stories this beast could tell." He said wistfully. Jealous, Momo came to sit next to Zei and began chattering. The man turned and placed a finger to his lips. "Shush, chatty monkey." And the lemur shut up. They all believed they could easily find a place as big as this building. However, they couldn't see a trace of it even after flying for long. Frustrated, Toph voiced her doubts concerning the existence of that library. Smiling, Zei admitted that some said it didn't exist.

"Shouldn't you have mentioned that before?" The little girl groaned and fell on her side. Appa kept flying and flying. Suddenly, Toph sat up and pointed out into the desert. "There it is!" She screamed excitedly. Everyone looked in the direction, but no, it had just been a joke. Well, of course since she couldn't see, and she couldn't feel anything from up there. They glared at her for tricking them. Aside from this, the flight continued uneventfully. Aang was starting to look fatigued, and Momo had fallen asleep on top of his head. But really, it shouldn't be this hard to spot a giant ornate building from the air. And indeed, Sokka soon spotted a spire sticking out of the sand with his spyglass. They descended. Katara was disappointed. It couldn't be what they were looking for. The building in the drawing was enormous. But then they saw a fox climbing over a dune, a scroll in its mouth. It paused and turned to look at the humans before running to the spire. The water tribe boy wondered what animal that was. They were surprised to see it running up the spire at a ninety degree angle and enter it by one of the windows. The professor assumed it was one of the knowledge seekers. They must be close to the library! But that spire in front of them was actually the very top part of that library! The building was buried in the sand!

The Professor Zei fell to his hands and knees and cried in despair. But a few seconds later he smiled and started scooping out the sand with a tiny shovel. Well, time to start excavating. He was incredibly optimistic to the point of stupidity. Toph placed a hand on the structure and reassured him. The inside was completely intact... and huge. They thought about going through the window the same way the fox had done. The blind girl decided to stay here. It was not like she had something against books but they weren't exactly done for her. Of course, Appa would stay with her. Sokka's boomerang, with a rope tied to it, was thrown through the window. Sokka, Zei, Katara and Aang climbed it and then descended it. They landed on a wide, cross shaped bridge that connected to each side of the room. Past the archways were long rows of bookshelves. The area was dimly lit by green lamps hanging from the walls. The anthopologist pushed his hat back and gazed in awe at the humongous room. And the building went down in that fashion for many floors. There was a mosaic depicting an owl on an archway and the face of an owl was carved atop every pillar.

The group turned at the sound of feathers rustling. They ran to hide by pair behind a pillar (with Aang dragging the professor). An enormous black owl with a white face came walking onto the bridge. The Avatar peeked to see it examine the rope. It looked up then turned its head to the left and kept rotating around three hundred and sixty degrees.

"I know you're back there." The spirit said. The airbender gasped and fearfully hid back behind the pillar. Zei smiled and came out of hiding. He approached the owl and excitedly greeted it and introduced himself. The large spirit advised him to leave if he didn't want to become a stuffed head of anthropology. They looked at a pillar from which three stuffed animal heads were hanging. The erudite man rubbed his neck and groaned nervously. The three teens gained courage and walked over to them. Sokka inquired if he was the spirit who brought this library to the physical world . "Indeed, I am Wan Shi Tong, he who knows 10,000 things. And you are obviously humans, which by the way are no longer permitted in my study." That made Aang curious to know what he had against humans. "Hmm, humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans, like that firebender who came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy." It was here that Zhao had learned about Tui and La, the Ocean and Moon Spirits. "So, who are you trying to destroy ?" He quickly brought his face closer to Sokka's, startling him.

"What? Oh, no, no, no destroying, we're not into that." The boy smiled nervously and waved his hand in protest. Wan Shi Tong asked why they had come here then. "Um... knowledge, for, knowledge's sake." He (too obviously) lied. The owl told him put some effort into it if he was going to lie to an all-knowing spirit being. "I'm not lying. I'm here with the Avatar." He pointed at the airbender with his thumb. "And he's the bridge between our worlds, he'll vouch for me." He brought Aang and patted him before nudging him in the back.

"Ow. Uh, yeah, I'll vouch. We will not abuse the knowledge in your library, good spirit. You have my word." He swore and everyone bowed. The spirit agreed to let them peruse his vast collection on the condition that they contributed some worthwhile knowledge to prove your worth as scholars. Zei stepped forward, knelt and presented a thick tome. Wan Shi Tong accepted the donation. He appreciated the fact it was a first edition. He passed his wing over the tome, causing it to vanish. Katara offered her waterbending scroll. Its stylish illustration pleased the owner of the library who took the scroll too. Aang thought hard and produced a Fire Nation wanted poster of himself. The knowledge spirit hesitated but consented to it. Since Sokka didn't have any scripture, he quickly tied a string into a butterfly shaped knot and held it out. It was a special knot! That counted as knowledge. Wan Shi Tong stared in silence.

"You're not very bright, are you ?" The owl noted after a pause. The water tribe warrior frowned and groaned at the comment. The knot was snatched too. "Enjoy the library." And the spirit flew down to the building's lower levels.

"Bright enough to fool _you_." Sokka said in a low voice as he stares after Wan Shi Tong with contempt.

Meanwhile, outside, Toph was trying to strike a conversion with Appa who would answer to the best of his ability. Well, he liked flying, but she was more comfortable on the ground, where she could see. Not like she saw the way he did, she felt the vibration in the ground with her feet, but this sand was so loose and shifty it made everything look fuzzy. Not that there was anything wrong with fuzzy.

Chenlian told Zuko about all the wounds she had received, the scars from arrows belonging to the Yu Yan Archers, from blades wielded by bandits or villagers, from fire during her training with Guang, or when she had saved children from their burning house set ablaze by Fire Nation soldiers because their parents could no longer pay the heavy taxes, the bones she had broken while escaping from earthbenders... the times when she had suffered food poisoning after starvation, when she had learned the hard way about snakes, spiders, and other insects and plants. She had also caught various illnesses due to her occasionally rather poor living conditions. Many times, she had narrowly escaped death. But she had been saved. The people taught her how to survive on her own. They taught her about the plants and animals. She sometimes helped in clinics and dispensaries, and restaurants, resorts... Because she met really good people, she tried to trust them, most of the time, once they learned the truth about her, they would try to kill her, drive her out, or sell her to the Fire Nation... she would face fear, hatred, rejection, regardless of everything they had shared or how much those people initially liked her. There had been exceptions though.

The young woman was speaking like it was a thing from the past that no longer mattered now that she had overcome it and risen above the bog. She was smiling, and often laughing things off. But how many tears had she cried then? He had her and his uncle. But she had been suffering alone all this time. He really couldn't complain. He ought to shape up. He hugged her and nuzzled her neck.

"I promise I'll grow stronger, I won't let you suffer like that again..."

"Zuko..." The girl whispered, touched. "Why don't you say that phrase when you can make yourself useful by cooking or earning money... or when you can beat me..." She teased. On instinct, he forcefully pinned her down but then he was reminded of a scene when after a promise she had teased him, he had pounced on her in retaliation and they had ended in that same position... And from the smile on her face, it had been done on purpose. He couldn't help but smile too. Like then, he gazed at her, and he did what he didn't do at that time. He closed the distance and kissed her with all his love.

Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zei had started looking for what they wanted. They were in large hall of bookshelves that stretched up to the tall ceiling over a dozen yards above them. The Avatar flipped a book and was attracted by the illustration of a giant turtle with the face of a lion looming over a man wearing a long robe. He called the others so they'd look at those weird things but Sokka claimed having seen weirder. Katara, who had apparently found a document about a previous Avatar, informed Aang he had been left handed in a past life. He smiled and scratched the back of his head. He'd always known he was special. Sokka slipped a book in his bag, then a scroll. He walked to a pedestal displaying a piece of paper with burnt edges and covered in glass. It had clearly escaped a fire, giving it value. He read the inscription 'The darkest day in Fire Nation history.' It had a date at the top, but it didn't say anything else. He lifted the glass with his machete and stole that paper too before dashing away. He wanted to know what had happened to the Fire Nation on their darkest day. This could be promising. He ran to the wing dedicated to the Fire Nation. Above its doorway was a large red tapestry with the symbol of fire on it. However, there were only burnt debris of books and bookshelves in the room. A firebender had destroyed everything having to do with the Fire Nation.

"That's so unfair!" He screamed out in frustration, placing his hands against his head. "Just when I think I'm one step ahead of the Fire Nation, it turns out they beat us here a long time ago." He fell to his knees. However, this setback wasn't enough to dampen his determination. "I need to know what happened on the darkest day." But then he heard a fox whimper behind him and turned his head. It was standing on its hind legs. "Hello, little weird fox guy." He greeted. The knowledge seeker turned around, pointing its nose down the hall and stayed motionless, with a leg up. The anthropologist believed it was trying to assist Sokka who hesitatingly agreed to follow.

The fox guided the group through the library to a wall with a huge sun symbol on it before running off to the right and crawling though a hole. The center of the symbol slowly rolled to the side, creating an opening and revealing the fox sitting behind it. The humans entered. The room was under a dome and on the walls were painted mountains, clouds and the sky. There was a large round stone pedestal at the center. The fox pushed a lever next to it that triggered a mechanism and filled the false sky with revolving stars. They all look up with wonder. A moon symbol was attached to a mechanical device moving across the sky. Aang handed it to his friend for having picked the best mini-vacation.

"This room is a true marvel. A mechanical wonder! It's a planetarium that shows the heavens moving." The professor exclaimed.

"Uh, this is beautiful, but, how is it helpful ?" Sokka questioned, again, not losing sight of the goal. It was just as the night turned to day and the moon was replaced by the sun. Katara suggested that the dials on the pedestal represented dates and times, and that Sokka try entering that date from the parchment he had taken. "Shh! Katara! Not in front of the fox, he's with the owl." He whispered, his hand before his mouth as he warily eyed the animal that whimpered dejectedly as it lowered its head and put its ears back. Sokka made a guilty expression and slightly raised the burned parchment, examined it and turned the rings to adjust the dials. He pushed the lever forward and the machine operated. But when it stopped, everyone got dimmer. The 'scenery' was that of the day but it was so dark, and what had happened to the sun? The airbended thought he had broken the mechanism but no. The sun was behind the moon, it was a solar eclipse! It was literally the darkest day in Fire Nation history. Sokka grabbed Aang by the shoulders and turned him. Something awful must have happened on that day. He didn't know what, but now he did know why. Firebenders lost their bending during a solar eclipse!

His sister was of the same mind. That made sense, given what the lunar eclipse at the North Pole had done to the waterbenders. This was huge. The fox whimpered again and raised its front paws, clearly (cutely) begging for its reward. The boy smiled good-heartedly and gave it food. He had earned it. The knowledge seek caught it and ran away. Now they had to deliver this information to the Earth King at Ba Sing Se. Then they could invade the Fire Nation during the next eclipse when those firebenders would be totally helpless. The Fire Lord was going down! But as Sokka raised his fist in triumph and grinned, his smile quickly turned into a frown when he was overshadowed and felt and ominous presence behind him, looming over him.

"Mortals are so predictable... and such terrible liars." Wan Shi Tong approached. Sokka gulped when he turned. Everyone stared with fright. "You betrayed my trust. From the beginning you intended to misuse this knowledge for evil purposes."

"You don't understand. If anyone's evil, it's the Fire Nation. You saw what they did to your library. They're destructive and dangerous. We need this information." The Water Tribe warrior raised his fist.

"You think you're the first person to believe their war was justified ? Countless others before you have come here, seeking weapons or weaknesses or battle strategies."

"We had no choice. Please, we're just desperate to protect the people we love." Aang pleased.

"And now I'm going to protect what I love." The knowledge spirit flapped its wings, causing a strong gust throughout the planetarium. The humans braced themselves against the wind. The airbender asked what he was doing. "I'm taking my knowledge back. No one will ever abuse it again." Wan Shi Tong declared. The group looked up. Sand was seeping through the walls and ceiling. He was sinking the building! They had to get out of here!

"I'm afraid I can't allow that. You already know too much." The owl's neck grew several feet longer before the spirit screeched and suddenly lunged forward. Eveyone jumped out of the way. The beak hit the floor, cracking it. Wan Shi Tong chased after his now undesirable guests as they fled the planetarium, screaming with fright. Zei still had his arms full of books.

Outside, Appa was lying down and Toph was sitting against him. The animal lifted his head, roared loudly and stood up, causing her to fall back. She got up. The ground was shaking and... the library was sinking! She jabbed her hands into the spire and grunted as she attempted to hold the library up, her feet sinking into the sand. She could barely slow it down. The problem was this sand, the footing wasn't stable enough. She hardened a portion of it and thrust her hands in the spire again. Inside, the group ran down the long hallways. Streams of sand were pouring from the ceiling and forming small pools. Wan Shi Tong pursued them, rubble flying in his wake. Momo, Sokka and Aang ran across a bridge but Zei stopped and turned around, yelping and gasping for breath... and still holding a large stack of books. Frightened, he nonetheless begged the great knowledge spirit not to destroy his vast collection of priceless tomes. It seemed his plea fell on deaf ears though, and noticing that, the Avatar forcefully pulled the professor back by bending a vacuum between his hands... just as Wan Shi Tong attacked the spot where he had been standing. Then he bended a strong gust that collided with the spirit, knocking it over the bridge. They had to get back to the surface!

They started running again (the scholar had dropped his books in the fall), except Sokka. They still didn't know the date of the next eclipse. Katara said they'd find out later. They needed to leave now! He disagreed. This was their only chance to get that information. And he needed Aang to provide him cover. The girl tried to protest but was cut off by Wan Shi Tong emerging in a crash between her and her brother. He ordered her to go, and she told him to hurry up. The owl went after Katara, Momo, and Zei. They dashed. The academician ran to the right and dived to the ground between two bookshelves. The owl ran past. Now safe, the man opened his eyes. He noticed a book of interest, took it, and grinned widely. Katara kept running.

Chenlian taught Zuko about the aloe vera used as moisturizer and to treat burns, rashes and insect bites, the plantain whose leaves could be eaten when young or used to treat sore feet, and muscles, cuts, and also rashes, burns, insect and snake bites. The honey was a known antiseptic and anti-inflammatory good against colds, coughs, sore throats, cuts, burns, and skin irritation. She told him about the vegetables, herbs, and fruits in this oasis, as well as the animals, a number were farm animals that had grown wild, like the plants. The cattail's rhizome was edible and you could use the leaves to weave mats, hats, nets, or make a fishing line. Anyway, time to prepare the meal. This time they'd use a duck, vegetables from the garden and... lotus! It was another of those invaluable plants. The roots, the shoots, the stems, the petals, the seeds... all those could be eaten, either raw (like the petals, in place of lettuce, the shoots or the young seeds) or cooked in many different ways. Leaves were usually used as wrappers to give rice a tea-like fragrance.

"I know that the lotus rises from the dark mud, overcoming evil and suffering to bloom clean and beautiful. It symbolises purity, enlightenment, and faithfulness. And like all its parts are usable, you grew up to help others. Are those the reasons you were named after that flower?" The prince questioned.

"Oh my, I didn't know you had any interest in flower language and symbolism." The woman grinned. He averted his eyes with a sour expression. He'd never tell her that he really didn't care about flowers, but only the lotus felt special to him, because it was in her name. But doing something as girly as looking things up just because it had a remote link to the person he liked... if that was known, he'd die of embarrassment! "Well, does it really matter to know why I got this name? I'm just happy that plant can serve to make such a variety of food on our table. But... I guess there's one other thing an uprooted person like me likes about this plant..." She took a lotus stalk, split it, gave one half to Zuko before standing up and slowly walking backwards for several yards. But the fibers of the plant did not break and kept stretching and linking them. "Just like its stalk is easy to bend in two but very difficult to break because of its strong sinuous fibers that keep connecting the two parts even if they're far away, I want to believe that the bonds I have with those I love shall never break. Zuko, surely it is like that between us too... even if we're apart, we're still connected and bound to each other, always..." She smiled. And the young man's heart stirred. Even if there was no place for him in this world, he would always have one in her heart. Even if he was lost, and confused, no matter what would happen in the future, as long as he was connected to her and that part of him was in her heart, he would be fine.

Toph was struggling to hold up the library. Appa turned his head when he noticed something approaching. Three sand gliders were driving towards them. A bender imprisoned the bison within a whirlwind of sand. The child asked who was there. The vessels glided in a circle around Appa.

Sokka and Aang returned to the planetarium. If this calendar could tell about eclipses in the past, surely it could project one from the future. He started turning the dial. Aang remarked they couldn't possibly check every single date. They didn't have to though. They just had to check the ones before Sozin's comet, it was better not to think about what would happen after that. And then, after many failures, they finally found the day of the solar eclipse. And it was just a few months away. Sokka noted it down. Now they had to go to Ba Sing Se. But first, leave this library. They exit the planetarium.

But meantime, sandbenders had surrounded Appa. Using a series of ropes weighed down with bags of sand, the sandbenders systematically pinned the bison down despite the resistance he was putting. Toph let go of the spire and turned around to attack. But it missed, and the second she let go, the spire had started sinking at high speed. She stabbed her hands back into the building, slowing it down. When she felt the gliders dragging away a bound Appa, she let go once more and attacked... and failed. She thrust her palms against the spire.

"No! I'm sorry Appa." The girl shut her eyes and whispered sadly.

In the library, Katara was getting tired. She avoided Wan Shi Tong's attacks a few times until she managed to hide against the side of a bookshelf, frightened, panting. She and Momo were hugging each other. The owl stuck his neck between the bookshelves and looked around. He quickly spied Momo's tail.

"At least I'll have one specimen to add to my collection." Wan Shi Tong lunged after Katara and Momo, who yelled in fear and ran away. The spirit chased after her. She reached the rope on which she had come down and turned to face her opponent. "Your waterbending won't do you much good here. I've studied Northern Water Style, Southern Water Style, even Foggy Swamp Style." He raised his wing and prepared to attack.  
Aang flew above them on his glider. Sokka let go of the glider and dropped on on the gigantic bird, slamming a thick book on his head and knocking him out. The owl collapsed at Katara's feet.

"That's called 'Sokka style'! Learn it!" The water tribe siblings climbed on the defeated spirit and then on the rope. They had gone up midway when they noticed the professor sitting between shelves, surrounded by books, reading a scroll. They called out to him.

"I'm not leaving. I can't. I've spent too long trying to find this place. There's not another collection of knowledge like this on Earth. I could spend an eternity in here." He smiled after his wistful declaration. However, Wan Shi Tong had woken while they were talking. He shrieked and swung the rope with his beak, trying to throw them off. The two lost their grip and fell but Aang swooped down and Katara grabbed the tail of the glider. Her brother wrapped his arms around her waist. They all flew up, followed by Momo, and then the owl. The Avatar barely managed to pull his friends out of the window of the spire. They fell in the sand. Sokka had also recuperated his boomerang and rope. As soon as they were out, Toph let go and the spire sank to the gound in an instant, causing a dust cloud. The earthbender fell backwards. The cloud dissipated, revealing a large crater in place of the spire.

"We got it! There's a solar eclipse coming! The Fire Nation's in trouble, now!" Sokka cheered as he and his sister hugged each other. Aang stood up and looked around before walking towards Toph.

"Where's Appa?" He asked fearfully, worriedly. She shook her head sadly. The boy gasped and his eyes, wide with horror, started watering. They had lost a precious friend, but also their only means of transport in this sweltering desert.

Senya was petting the eel hound at his feet. He was standing on a cliff. Behind him stood a man near a carriage, as well as six mounted guards.

"I follow them with this guy. You head to Ba Sing Se and prepare for everything. The guards will stay with you to protect you. We'll keep in contact by hawk." He ordered.

"But Sir! Even if it's you, the wilderness is dangerous and-" The attendant tried to protest and was cut off.

"Who do you think I am?" The young master looked at his aide whose blood froze in his veins, his breath caught in his throat. He was literally paralyzed with fear... so much that he couldn't move or even breathe. Cold sweat was running down his back. Suddenly, his lord smiled inocently again. "I must exercise and keep in shape for Chenlian. If I'm too lazy, she might start to dislike me. I like when she scolds me with that cute angry face but I want her to smile and praise me too." He said. His frightened subordinated left in a hurry. However, it wasn't too long before the young master found himself surrounded by a band of thieves. There were over two dozens of them, weapons in hands. He sighed. He did say he wanted to keep in shape but he had hoped to stay and leisurely watch this beautiful scenery a while longer. However he couldn't enjoy it because of their stinking blood nor could he let them gutter rats get any closer to that person. Their eyes did not deserve her view. They all snapped and attacked at the same time. A few minutes later, he sheathed his sword and walked away without a scratch. The area he left was littered with bodies.

* * *

**Author's note: hum... I was so engrossed in thinking about and writing my current chapter (crossroads of destiny) that requires a significant amount of work. It's a crucial turning point after all and I'd like to avoid doing a shoddy job. I was stumped for a time too :( Anyway I completely forgot about updating this story and I just noticed I was one chapter late. So here is chapter 34. Things really start looking good for Zuko and Chenlian, huh ^^ ? Also, there won't be a 'Appa's lost days' chapter. I broke it up and tried to divide it according to the timeline among the chapters between the one you've just read and 'Tales of Ba Sing Se'. **


	35. The Desert

**Fight 35: The desert**

The wind blew loudly around the Avatar and his friends. It was carrying enough sand to slightly obscure their view, like they were in the middle of a fog. They were all looking in different directions, trying to spot the missing member of their group. Aang started lashing out on Toph for having let those people take Appa. Why didn't she do something? She could have come and get him so he could have saved Appa. He also accused her of not caring about the bison and wishing him gone since she had never liked him. The little girl desperately tried to justify herself. The library was sinking and they were still inside, she couldn't save them both! And she could hardly feel any vibrations out here. The sandbenders had snuck up on her and there was no time! Katara approached them and placed her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to appease him. She asked him to stop it. He knew Toph had done all she could and saved their lives. However...

"Who's going to save our lives now? We'll never make it out of here." Sokka pointed out as he motioned to the endless desert with an arm.

"That's all any of you guys care about: yourselves! You don't care whether Appa is okay or not!" The airbender angrily stalked off.

"We're all concerned, but we can't afford to be fighting now." Katara's words fell on deaf ears though. Aang declared he was going to find Appa and took off without listening. "We'd better start walking. We're the only people who know about the solar eclipse. We have to get that information to Ba Sing Se." She decided. Her brother hoped that giant owl would give them a ride if they dug it out. Desperate situations called for desperate measures. His request was denied though and the three started walking while Momo was flying in front.

Once they were at a safe distance, the sand sailors, still dragging Appa, stopped at the order of the young leader. They were still in the open desert but he wanted to hurry and review his loot. He told two of his subordinates to ransack the saddle. Who knew what treasures were stashed in there? The bison roared menacingly, and the two nomads stopped short of him, looking back to their leader. Gashuin reassured them. He was tied up good and couldn't hurt them. The sandbenders leaped up onto the saddle, kicking up a cloud of dust in his face that caused him to snuffle and let loose a tremendous sneeze. The blast of air hit the center skiff, sending it rocketing through the air to wreck against a sand dune.

"What's your father going to do when he finds out we lost a sand sailor?

"Nothing. It's the one we stole from the Hammi tribe. Did you empty the saddle?" The leader walked up to the pile of gear and kicked Sokka's club in frustration. "That's it! Nothing but garbage! Ahh! It doesn't matter. We'll still make a profit from selling him to those beetle-headed merchants!"

Chenlian Zuko and Iroh rode their ostrich-horse into another woody area. The girl was in front, the young man in the middle holding the reins, and the elder on the back wouldn't stop grunting in pain for five seconds. Annoyed, Zuko suggested they made camp. His female friend stifled a giggle. Surely Iroh must be hurting a bit but she also suspected he was purposely overdoing it and driving his beloved nephew over the edge. What a sure-kill tactic. Well, it was not like they were in a hurry.

"No, please, don't stop just for me!" However, the elderly groaned even more loudly and exaggeratedly. No longer able to take it, the prince stopped the animal and the three dismounted. Iroh went straight to sit on a rock. The girl snickered. That old one really knew how to push which buttons. But then the ostrich-horse perked up, and its ears pointed up. It had clearly detected something unusual. The two youngsters took a defensive stance. "What now ?" Iroh grumbled. In an instant, the Rough Rhinos had them surrounded. The retired general brightened, stood up, and placed a hand on his nephew's shoulder. "Colonel Mongke! What a pleasant surprise!"

"If you're surprised we're here then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps. Chenlian, this time we'll definitely capture you!" The colonel menaced and made sparks with his bracers. His men readied their weapons. Zuko asked if they knew these guys.

"Sure. Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapons specialist. They are also a very capable singing group." His uncle replied.

"We're not here to give a concert. We're here to apprehend fugitives!" Mongke shot back.

"Well **_I_** pinned that Colonel Monkey and his men as a bunch of **cowardly brutes** who liked needlessly razing villages full of innocent people and only targeted those they believed weaker than them. Now I want to add that they don't seem to have a learning ability. I alone had been enough to dispose of them at the time. I wonder what makes them think they can succeed now with us three as opponents." Chenlian stated her caustic opinion with a ruthless smile.

"It's Colonel **Mongke**!"

"Now, now, no need to be so hostile. Would you like some tea first ? I'd love some. How about you, Khachi? I make you as a jasmine man. Am I right ?" The elder looked at the guan dao wielder.

"Enough stalling! Round'em up!" The mercenary leader shouted. Ogodei swung his bolas at Iroh kicked the ball away that went to wrap around the foot of Kahchi's rhino. Iroh dodged the fire blast and fire arrow by tumbling along the ground. He rose back up and slapped the rump of the rhino that had been chained. It ran off with its rider, yanking the dark-skinned warrior who had one end of the chain attached to his belt. Iroh waved as he watched them go. The archer shot a lit arrow at Zuko's back but the teen sensed it, turned, and broke the arrow with the side of his hand before realising a small but fast blast which accurately burned a hole in the archer's bow and broke the string. The colonel launched fire at Chenlian but it was choked by her own fireball. He managed to block it however she had already jumped on his rhino. She kicked him away. Iroh climbed onto the ostrich-horse, and then Zuko who holding the last rough rhino at bay. They passed by the girl who jumped onto the mount too. The explosives specialist pursued them and threw a grenade but Chenlian detonated it in mid-air.

"It's nice to see old friends." The old man commented with a smile as they rode away. His nephew remarked drily that it was too bad he didn't have any old friends that didn't want to attack him. The young woman was sure Iroh had some of those though, since he was the type to befriend anyone anywhere. "Hmm... Old friends that don't want to attack me..." Iroh pondered.

Katara was leading Sokka and Toph through the desert. They were all hot, dry, and tired. The boy put Momo on his head and spread his wings for the shade. Toph bumped into him since he had slowed, knocking the lemur off his head.

"Can't you watch where you're—"

"No."

"Right. Sorry." He apologized, remembering her blindness. His sister turned to encourage them. They had to stick together. "If I sweat any more, I don't think sticking together will be a problem." He tried to pull himself and Toph apart as his shirt was sticking to her sleeve but since it seemed to be taking forever, the earthbender knocked him him, effectively disconnecting them. Then she requested some water. Katara agreed but they've got to try to conserve it. She bended a little water from her pouch she divided equally between her brother Toph and Momo. They drank it and were displeased with the taste. It was her bending water she had used on the swamp guy. The waterbender apologized. This was all they had. Her big bro wasn't of the same mind though. He had found a large cactus, and where there was life, there was water! He cut a piece off with his knife, and drained the liquid content into his mouth. The animal did the same.

"Sokka, wait! You shouldn't be eating strange plants!" Katara yelled, grabbing Toph's wrist and running to them. He offered some cactus water to her but she turned him down, unsure. And she had been right. Sokka might have had this thirst quenched, but suddenly, his pupils dilated, his expression became blank, and he started acting weird, moving like a worm on the sand and talking nonsense. "Okay, I think you've had enough." Katara took the cactus bowl and emptied it on the ground. Her sibling returned and asked who had lit Toph on fire . Momo spun in a circle in the air and dived to the ground where he crashed. Toph wanted some of that cactus but it wasn't a good idea. They needed to find Aang. The water tribe girl picked Momo and led Toph away before turning back and fetching her brother who hadn't moved at all. Sokka asked how they had gotten out here in the middle of the ocean .

Appa was dragged into a camp past a group of three well dressed men with tall beetle-shaped helmets. Once the skiffs stopped, the men walked around to the front of Appa stopping to his head to appraise him. A merchant asked about the beast's temper.

"Uhhhh, pretty good." Gashuin replied. But then the bison roared ferociously, causing everyone present to jump back in fear. "Uh, most of the time." The young bender sheepishly added. The second merchant turned to the first one. Someone was sure to pay a fortune for him in Ba Sing Se. The tradesman agreed to the deal. The thieving sandbenders accepted a small chest and left with a satisfied smile after checking the content. Appa was put onto a large sled and held in place by six arms levers. The sled was pulled by a giant green stag beetle ridden by one of the camp followers. Not too far from here, Aang was riding his glider low across the waves of sand, shouting the name of his missing friend. Then he blew furiously on the bison whistle. Hearing the note, Appa's eyes snapped open. The buffalo started moaning and struggling, rocking the entire sled. "He's your problem now. Hahaha!" Gashuin called back, laughing, and the sand sailors left. The merchants were angry but had no choice but to do something on their own now. Appa's tail broke the rope holding it down, and with a powerful slap he launched himself, sled and all, into the air and over the stag beetle. The beetle was flipped over and dragged through the camp, destroying a tent in the process. A merchant took a blowgun and hit the bison's paw with shirshu spit darts. Appa fell instantly asleep due to the poison and crashed back on the sand. And so the merchants decided to get rid of this all too troublesome animal and sell him away to someone who could tame him...

Aang landed on a dune. He called Appa, but nothing. The desert was just as empty. His eyes watered, he screamed, and in sheer rage and frustration, he slammed his staff into the sand, creating a large mushroom cloud of sand. His three human companions saw it in the distance and wondered what it was. Sokka suggested that the giant mushroom might be friendly. Katara kept them going, hoping that Aang was okay. Her bro waved his arms, danced, and called his friendly mushroom, his mushy giant friend.

At the Misty Palm Oasis, Master Yu of the earthbending academy, and Xin Fu of Earth Rumble 6 were interrogating the villagers. A man told them a little barefoot blind girl and her friends had passed through here a few days ago but needed a little incentive in order to give out more information. However, he instantly talked under the threat of having his fingers broken. They had gone in the desert! Too bad there was almost no chance of survival. Xin Fu said it was okay, since she was wanted dead or alive. Yu was certain her father wanted her back alive though. Then, they noticed Fire Nation wanted posters. The middle one had an illustration of Zuko and Iroh, and the one under it had a picture of Chenlian. The teacher didn't get the point until the tournament fighter showed him the three from the posters walking towards a building. They smiled at each other, their greed showing on their face.

It was getting dark when Aang finally returned to his friends. Katara approached him as he knelt down. She apologized. She knew it was hard for him right now, but they need to focus on getting out of here. But the Avatar didn't see the point. They wouldn't survive without Appa anyway. She tried to give him hope again. They could do this if they worked together. She was really the only who still looked forward. As far as Toph could feel, they were trapped in a giant bowl of sand pudding. So she got nothing. And Sokka was too busy to lie on his back and stare at the sky with Momo to think properly. He pointed at the buzzard wasps circling above them. Maybe THEY could help. Katara looked at everyone: Aang was still sulking, Toph was staggering and Sokka was useless. She had to shape up.

"Ugh... We're getting out of this desert, and we're going to do it together! Aang, get up. Everybody hold hands. We can do this. We have to." She affirmed with determination as she took Aang's staff and led him along. He was holding Toph's hand. Toph was holding Sokka's hand. And Sokka was pulling Momo by the tail. They walked until the end of dusk. The stars were shining. When Katara said they should stop for the night, everyone collapsed like dolls. The earthbender asked for more water. This was the last of it but everyone could have a little drink. The water tribe girl bended an orb of water from her flask. Suddenly, Momo leapt and tried to drink it, causing it to splash onto the sand. Sokka freaked out, accusing the lemur of having killed them all, and scrambled towards the wet spot. His little sis reassured him and bended the water out of the moist sand back into the flask she handed to Toph. Bending... what a convenient thing... "Sokka, let me see the things you got from the library." She requested.

"What! I didn't steal anything! Who told you that?!" The warrior reeled back, offended and clutching his bag full of scrolls. He pointed an accusing finger at Momo (who acted guiltily) and this time accused him of ratting him out.

"Sokka, I was there." Katara patiently reminded him as she took her brother's bag. But to Aang, it didn't matter. None of those would tell them where Appa was. She studied a star map. "No, but we can find out which way Ba Sing Se is. We can use the stars to guide us. That way we can travel at night when it's cool and rest during the day." She sighed. "Just try to get some sleep. We'll start again in a few hours."

As the three firebenders entered the restaurant, a man in sand-colored clothes with his arms and legs wrapped in bandages bumped into Zuko who demanded an apology. But instead of apologizing, the guy acted all the more defiant. It was clear that the bump had been on purpose and he was picking a fight. Chenlian held her head. Zuko had always fallen for such provocations. She stepped inbetween them, apologized in behalf of her companion with a sweet smile. And while the flustered troublemaker stammered, the girl ushered her lover inside.

"I didn't need your help! Why did you interfere? Why did you apologize to that guy? You want me to ignore such disrespect?!"

"I just didn't want you to make a scene. This is not the time or place. And I didn't want to waste any more time or energy. A smile and an apology, even insincere, can take you out of many sticky situations. That was the quickest way to solve things. Besides, between that guy and his cheap provocation and me and my words, which is more important to you?" Chenlian stared straight at him, and he had no choice but to submit. She smiled and happily went to buy some of those fruity beverages in ice bowls. Zuko watched her go. He felt as if he had been tricked but seeing her happy like that he couldn't help but feel that it was fine and smile slightly too. However, his smile turned into a scowl when she gave that bartender that adorable smile of hers and he smiled too and gave her a double ration of fruits. She returned at the table and commented that she really liked that bartender's skills and way of handling the swords. So much better than hacking people up.

"Well, I don't like how you smiled at that old man." Zuko snapped.

"Why? With just a smile I can get discounts and freebies. It's all good, isn't it?" The girl didn't get what he was so angry about. Smiles could be so incredibly useful... not using them would be such a waste. But then, that was not something HE would know...

"You're MY girlfriend, don't show such a smile to others." He crossly insisted. Chenlian understood at last and smiled. There was really no need for him to get jealous, and at this point you could call it paranoia. But...

"I can't promise anything. I still want to get discounts and freebies, and I want to make you just a bit jealous from time to time too." She grinned so charmingly that he couldn't stay mad at her after all. She wanted him to get jealous over her, make sure she had all his attention... because she loved him. But they didn't come here to flirt. The three looked around for one who could be Iroh's friend. As they didn't seem to have much luck, the boy started complaining. No one here was going to help them. These people just looked like filthy wanderers. His uncle remarked that they looked the same as these people and then pointed at an old, bald man sitting at a Pai Sho table. Looked like he had found his friend.

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho ?" Zuko questioned, not sounding very pleased.

"I don't think this is a gamble. Right, Chenlian?" The fomer general replied.

"Yes." She smirked before turning to her childhood friend. "I've told you, you care too much about appearances, that's why you keep getting deceived so easily." The three walked over to the table. Xin Fu and Master Yu were sitting on a bench and watching the fugitives (unaware that their persistent attention had gotten Chenlian's notice). The Earth Rumble fighter wanted to take them nowbut the professor stopped him with a hand on the shoulder and told him to be patient. This place was full of desperate characters. If they found out they were collecting a bounty, they might have to fight them all just to keep the prize. Iroh requested a game.

"The guest has the first move." The pai sho player motioned to the table. The guest sat down and placed the lotus tile in the middle of the board. "I see you favor the white lotus gambit. Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those who do can always find a friend." The old firebender replied.

"Then let us play." The two men placed one tile after another in rapid succession while the teens sat down too and watched. When the players were done, the tiles had formed the shape of a lotus, with the lotus tile in the center. "Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets." He greeted them. Chenlian smiled and bowed. There have been times when those 'brothers' had helped her and saved her life. They had been her only sure support. Zuko asked what were those 'old gasbags' talking about . He seemed to be sulking, annoyed that he was the only one left out. There was definitely some secret he hadn't been told about. And he had never been able to stand things happening outside his control.

"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game." His uncle grinned as he rolled a tile over his knuckles and clutched it. That was when Xin Fu, sick and tired of these yapping geezers, approached them and yelled at the three fugitives that they were coming with him. Yu sighed, dusted himself, and joined him. The bald elder came to stand between the groups (blocking the two bounty hunters) and pointed at the Fire Nation people.

"I knew it! You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!" He spoke loudly, obviously trying to garner attention.

"I thought you said he would help!" Zuko angrily complained.

"He is. Just watch." Iroh put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"That's pecking the wood to draw the ones inside and use them to distract those two." The girl muttered almost inaudibly with a small smile.

"You think you're going to capture them and collect all that _gold_ ?" The old player accused. Everyone in the bar looked up at the mention of 'gold.' Several of them pulled out knives and swords and surrounded the two earthbenders. First, get rid of the competition.

"Uh... Maybe we shouldn't." Master Yu suggested in hope to avoid any unnecessary fight. His ally smirked though, interested in this development. The teacher covered his eyes in resignation. Two men attacked Xin Fu who got them out with a reverse roundhouse kick, bending a rock from the ground which knocked them away. The professor buried another neck down in the ground while his comrade was quickly dispatching a whole band of sandbenders. Not a single person noticed that in the middle of the confusion, the bounty was escaping, led by the pai sho player who had started the commotion. It was only when everyone but the two earthbenders were down that they finally realized what had happened. Xin Fu growled and in frustration slammed his fists downward, causing a pillar of rock to shoot out from under one of the defeated sandbenders who yelled as he flew through the window and hit a palm tree. Things had happened exactly as Yu had feared.

The Avatar and his friends were sleeping on a dune. Momo was burying Sokka but jumped away when Katara came over and woke her brother up. They needed to go. He sat up and so did Toph. Yesterday her mouth tasted like mud because of the swamp water she had drunk, but now it just tasted like sand. She had never thought she'd miss the taste of mud so much. The waterbender went to wake Aang too but he interrupted her. He was already awake. He hadn't been able to sleep. They looked up as a large bison-shaped silhouette floated past the moon.

"Appa!" The child exclaimed joyfully.

"Appa? But why would Princess Yue need him ? She's the moon! She flies by herself!" Sokka commented, clearly still under the influence of the cactus juice. However, upon a closer look, what was thought to be Appa was actually nothing more than a cloud. They slouched dejectedly until Katara remembered clouds were made of water. She gave Aang her pouch and told him to fly up and bend the cloud water into it. The airbender glared at her before snatching her water skin and taking off on his glider. In two passes, he quickly collected the moisture, dropped the pouch down to Katara and landed. She peeked inside. There was hardly anything in here.

"I'm sorry, okay! It's a desert cloud; I did all I could! What's anyone else doing! What are YOU doing?!" He snapped and accusingly pointed his staff at the waterbender who looked shocked and hurt.

"Trying to keep everyone together." Katara answered sadly. "Let's just get moving. We need to head in this direction." She read the star map and led the group. After a time, Toph suddenly tripped and fell. She rubbed her stubbed foot right next to a wooden object.

"Ow! Crud! I am _so_ sick of not feeling where I'm going! And what idiot buried a boat in the middle of the desert ?!" She raged. But a boat? Katara came to examine the piece of wood. "Believe me, I kicked it hard enough to feel plenty of vibrations." She asserted. With a wide movement of his glider, Aang airbended all the sand away, revealing a sandglider. The water tribe girl recognized it. And it even had some kind of compass on it! It could point them out of here! And Aang could bend a breeze so they could sail it! They were going to make it! Everyone turned to see Sokka laughing stupidly as he buried Momo in a pile of sand. He turned to the others and gave two thumbs up as well as a large idiotic grin.

Zuko, Chenlian and Iroh followed their helper to a small village between the mountains and the desert. They entered one of the buildings. The pai sho player made sure that no one was watching before shutting the door. Inside the flower shop, the man turned to Iroh.

"It is an honor to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus. Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets." He bowed respectfully and walked to the back of the room. Iroh grinned, pleased with the praise.

"Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging, or is this club going to offer some **_real_** help ?" Zuko questioned petulantly. Chenlian elbowed him in the ribs for his rudeness. The teens glared at each other.

"You must forgive my nephew. He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts." The former general said coolly. Their benefactor knocked on a door in the back. A small window in the middle slid open and a man peeked through.

"Who knocks at the guarded gate ?"

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." Iroh replied. The door opened and Iroh and the Pai Sho player entered. Zuko attempted to follow them, but Chenlian grabbed his arm with both hands as the door shut in his face. Iroh slid the window open. "I'm afraid it's members only. Wait out here. Chenlian, sorry but will you look after him?"

"Yes, of course." The girl smiled, hugging her boyfriend's arm.

"Why don't you go with them? You're part of that club too, right? I don't need anyone looking after me."

"Iroh will be more than enough to speak for us. My presence is not needed there. But you'll keep sulking if I'm not with you." She smiled.

"I'm not sulking!"

"Really? Then you should wipe that pout off your face. Or maybe... you don't want to be with me?" She stared at him questioningly, as if testing him 'do you find me that repulsive? Do you want to leave again? Like you did all those times...' And her doubt and sadness caused a twinge of guilt and made him lose his cool and nerve. And seeing him panick like this, not knowing what to do or say to apologize and be forgiven, she did her best not to smile and giggle. Well, he had stopped sulking and being so unpleasant, she had teased him, and now everything was all good. She tilted her head in a quizzical manner. And after a few more seconds, it was like he blew a fuse and surrendered to his instinct. He pulled her to him, fiercely embraced her, and simply told her how he loved her. Chenlian smiled and hugged him back. Then, they gazed at each other and kissed.

Appa was sold to a Fire Nation circus and put in a cage where his paws were chained. The trainer sounded so compassionate at first. He understood that the bison had had a hard time, forcing him to 'behave outrageously. Like a wild animal'. He had stroked his forehead through the bars too. But then he had sinisterly declared that he was going to break him. And the best way to break an animal was to starve it. He fed cabbages to those he had tamed and made a vulture-griffon do some aerial acrobatics. If the bison wanted food, he had to obey. However, while the man was busy, the sky bison used his airbending skills to pull the cart full of cabbages closer to him, and then sucked a cabbage he devoured and a few more. "Of course, when you perform, the hoops will be flaming. And if you are careful, you won't get burned." The trainer instructed. The ruminant let out a loud belch. "You're about to be sorry." The circus member wheeled around angrily and created a blaze in front of the cage. Appa reared back and groaned and roared in fear and distress. The firebender approached. "It's obvious that whoever your previous owner was, he had no idea how to handle you properly."

At nighttime, a large crowd had gathered outside the entrance of the main circus tent and around the smaller ones. A fire nation boy, about Aang's age, peaked inside a tent and, his eyes wide in amazement, saw the caged Appa trying (and failing) to pull a bale of hay towards himself with his wind breath. The bison noticed the kid and made a licking gesture with his tongue. The lad smiled, amused, apparently ready to enter, when a hulking adult showed up behind him.

"I am gonna get a bag of sizzle-crisps. Stay here and stay away from that monster. Behave yourself, or you'll regret it." The adult, most likely his father, pointed commandingly. The boy watched him walk off with a meek look, and rushed into the tent as soon as he was out of sight. The child rolled the bale toward Appa who gave him a friendly 'thank-you' lick before chowing down on the hay. The boy quickly dashed back outside when he heard someone approach. The trainer and ringmaster were argueing. The beast handler was against using their new creature as it was too risky. That thing was difficult, stubborn, and willful and needed more time to be broken. That angered the Ringmaster. Too risky? What was he talking about? This was the circus, home of fear and danger! He insisted that the Wind Buffalo performed tonight and stalked away. The trainer glared at Appa and warned him. If he didn't behave himself, he'd regret it. And to make his menace clearer, he made a large torch of flame before Appa's face. The ruminant shrank back in his cage and growled in fear and anger. The man marched off. The kid, who had seen everything from the edge of the tent flap, stared sadly at the bison before they exchanged another friendly look. But then, his father came back and took him away. The boy waved with a 'See ya later buddy.' Appa settled down in his cage with a deep sorrowful sigh.

In the main tent, women were spinning plates on top of long sticks, platypus-bears in costume were balancing on large balls, a group of men were standing three high in a pyramid. The crowd cheered, seated on bleachers. The child from earlier reached for a sizzle-crisp, but his dad snatched them away selfishly. And then it was the turn of the wind buffalo that the ringmaster introduced in a flourish. A curtain dropped to reveal a rather dejected Appa, looking ridiculous in an outlandish circus get-up, his face painted in clown fashion. Appa pawed at his fake beard. The spectators laughed but the young boy looked on unhappily. The bison entered the center ring, where he was joined by the Circus trainer.

"Up." He ordered. The flying animal shook his head and turned completely around, to the crowd's amusement. The firebender looked at the people and angrily turned back. "Up, you insolent cow!" He cracked his fire whip at Appa, who roared in defiance. The kid jumped from his seat and shouted at the poor beast to run away and get away from here. His father pulled him back into his seat. The trainer managed to get Appa to fly up and through the flaming hoops, to the cheers and amazement of the spectators. The little one looked down in sadness. Appa's costume caught fire though. Then with his tail he slapped a hoop that went hurtling and smashing into the whip user who fell down, out cold. The crowd laughed. As Appa focused on the laughing child, he was reminded of Aang laughing in a similar pose. He growled and shook off his beard and hair.

"Go. You can do it." The Fire Nation boy smiled encouragingly at him. The bison flew up only to be intercepted by a blast of fire. The trainer had come to and furiously ordered the stupid beast to get back here. He cracked his whip again but Appa swooped down at him and struck him with an upward tail lash, sending him hurtling out the roof of the tent. Appa crashed through an opening in the tent's roof, shedding the rest of his costume as he did. The child smiled a lonely smile as he watched the bison soaring away into the dark sky.

At night, the sand glider was racing through the desert thanks to Aang blowing wind into the sail. Katara was on the upper platform and navigating using the compass and star map. And according to her charts the machine's compass didn't seem to be pointing north. Her brother was sitting behind her and reassuring her in his own fuddled way. He was still holding Momo by the tail. The wasterbender gasped when she saw a giant rock sticking out from the sand in the distance. That was what the compass was pointing to! That giant rock must be the magnetic center of the desert. Toph was glad to have some firm, hard rock to look forward to. Katara believed they might even find some water there. But Aang hoped  
to find some sandbenders. He sounded so forbidding. It was dawn when the children reached the top of the rock. Toph let herself fall flat on her back and moved her arms and legs, creating an earth angel in the rock surface, expressing her happiness to finally be on solid ground again. They were actually on a platform and the rock next to them was riddled with large, weird, round openings.

They entered one of the caves. Its surface was partially smeared with a disgusting-looking yellow, gooey substance. Sokka breathed deeply and showed self-awareness for the first time in a long while as he said his head was starting to clear out the cactus juice. But then he and Momo tried to eat the sticky yellow stuff... only to instantly spit it back out. They made disgusted gagging noises.

"This tastes like rotten penguin meat! Awww I feel woozy."

"You've been hallucinating on cactus juice all day and then you just lick something you find stuck to the wall of a cave ?!" She rebuked him, sounding irritated and incredulous by his apparent lack of learning ability.

"I have a natural curiosity." He replied coolly.

"I don't think this is a normal cave. This was carved by something." Toph voiced her opinion. She had been studying it. The airbender agreed. The shape was strange, and too regular... even that viscuous thing! "There's something buzzing in here. Something that's coming for us!" She yelled in alarm. They ran back out of the cave, screaming. If you looked carefully at that dome, it ressembled a hive! They were soon surrounded by flying buzzard wasps. One approached and Aang blew it back with a gust of air. Another landed near Toph, she sensed it and bended a pillar of rock up from beneath it, sending it flying. One of the giant insects flew between Toph and Sokka. She popped a boulder into the air but it crashed back down just inches away from Sokka who angrily yelled at her. She apologized as she was unable to tell where they were in the air. Another one passed by. The warrior went after it and wildly swung his machete.

"Sokka, there's nothing there." His sister told him. He had just been attacking the air.

He guessed his head wasn't as clear as he had thought. "We have to get out of here! I'm completely out of water to bend!" But just as Katara said that, Momo was suddenly snatched by a buzzard wasp that then flew towards the sun.

"Momo! I'm not losing anyone else out here." Aang yelled and took off with his glider after the animals. Katara and the others started going down the rock formation on a narrow ledge. The water tribe girl placed her hands on Toph's shoulders and turned her to face the buzzard wasp. She asked him to shoot a rock right there and the earthbender sent a cluster of boulders as precaution. Most hit. Sokka cheered, also still unsure. But yes, she did get it.

The Avatar flew under the one that had captured Momo, rolled over, and with a strong kick airbended the lemur out of its clutches. The little pet flew next to Aang. Normally, it should have been over once the little one was free, they should be returning. However, the monk glared hatefully at the Buzzard wasp, closed his glider and swung it down, shooting a powerful blade of air that split the sand and the creature. For the first time, the pacifist airbender had indulged in unncessary killing, a sheer act of revenge done in order to vent his his rage and frustation. But he did not feel any guilt or appeasement. He just stared coldly and walked back to the giant rock. Momo followed, clearly frightened by his unusual mercilessness.

At the foot of the rock, Katara was still directing Toph's attacks. They were being quite successful. Suddenly, gigantic pillars of sand burst upwards, scaring of the swarm of wasps that returned to the hive. The youths shielded their eyes. When they opened them, they found themselves surrounded by sandbenders. Aang landed in front of his friends, ready to face the newcomers. The leader of of the sandbenders, Sha-Mo, a bald man with a beard, confronted the children. What were they doing in their land with a sandbender sailer that had been, from the looks of it, stolen from the Hami tribe? Katara explained they had found the sailer abandoned in the desert and they were traveling with the Avatar (she gestured towards Aang). Their bison had been stolen and they had to get to Ba Sing Se.

"You dare accuse our people of theft while you ride on a stolen sand sailer ?!" The young man next to the leader steps forth and raised his voice, his hands curled into fists. Toph narrowed her eyes in suspicious and concentration when she heard him.

"Quiet, Gashuin. No one accused our people of anything. If what they say is true, we must give them hospitality." Sha-mo rebuked him.

"Sorry, father." The son, Gashuin, apologised.

"I recognize the son's voice. He's the one that stole Appa." The blind girl asserted quietly but strongly. The waterbender asked if she was sure. "I never forget a voice."

"You stole Appa! Where is he?! What did you do to him ?!" Aang charged angrily as he stepped forward and menaced them with his staff.

"They're lying! **_They_**'re the thieves!" However, Gashuin's denial, and even more so, the absurdity of HIM accusing THEM, only added oil to the flames and the airbender swung his staff down, obliterating a sand sailer with a blast of air. He wasn't going to be taken for a fool.

"Where is my bison ?! You tell me where he is now!" Aang demanded. The sandbenders watched in shock as he destroyed another sailer.

"What did you do ?!" Sha-mo asked his son.

"I-It wasn't me!" The young thief persisted.

"YOU said to put a muzzle on him!" Toph accused.

"You muzzled Appa ?!" The monk exclaimed, enraged, as his eyes and and arrow glowed and he began to enter the Avatar state. He twirled his staff around and demolished yet another sand sailer.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know that it belonged to the Avatar!" Gashuin finally confessed... only when he felt that his life was in danger... but it was too late.

"Tell me where Appa is!" The Avatar ordered in a sinister voice that sounded no longer like Aang's.

"I traded him! To some merchants! He's probably in Ba Sing Se by now! They were going to sell him there! Please! We'll escort you out of the desert! We'll help however we can!" The bandit begged, frightened by the overwhelming power and wrath his thoughtless actions and words had provoked. The air slowly began to pick up and spin around Aang as he fully entered the Avatar state, pulling in sand and creating a small tornado.

"Just get out of here! Run!" Sokka yelled warningly.

In the flower shop, Chenlian was lightly tapping Zuko's cheek and gently calling him to wake him up. While they were waiting for Iroh to finish, he had fallen asleep leaning against her, hugging her from behind. But now, she had heard movements inside. It would be over in a minute. The boy groggily opened his eyes just as the door opened and Iroh stepped out, causing his nephew to awaken completely and go into a defensive stance. He was so clearly protective of Chenlian in that stance that she smiled tenderly.

"What's going on ? Is the club meeting over ?" He questioned, dropping his guard. His uncle answered that everything was taken care of. They were heading to Ba Sing Se. "Ba Sing Se ? Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?"

"Because there's no better place to hide trees than a forest." The girl replied. The Pai Sho player agreed. The city was filled with refugees fleeing from the Fire Nation. No one would notice a few more.

"We can hide in plain sight there. And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city." The former General and Crown Prince of the Fire Nation was smiling good-heartedly. Suddenly, Chenlian felt rage surging from the deepest part of her. She held her head, in pain, and saw the desert, and cowering sandbenders. She fell on her knees and gritted her teeth. Zuko was holding her and calling but she could hear him less and less. The pain was spreading and intensifying alarmingly. She steeled herself, knowing what was to come. But it was useless. That did nothing to lessen the excruciating agony. It was like being engulfed by a tsunami. Guang's power and conciousness flooded her, trying to overtake her body and be unleashed and it took everything she had to contain them. Trembling, sweating, fighting, resisting the urge to scream, feeling like she was being split open, she clung to Zuko who was trying to encourage her. That was all he could do. He didn't resent his powerlessness more than in those occasions. He didn't know how much his presence gave her strength. The other men were looking on worriedly.

Sokka grabbed Toph by the shoulders and pulled her away from Aang. They fled with Momo, and so did the sandbenders. The sand tornado grew larger and the Avatar slowly started to levitate. Only Katara stayed, her head down, heedless of the danger, or perhaps believing there was none for her, and even if there was, the sadness and care she felt for Aang were far stronger. She made her way through the fierce wind and sand grabbed his wrist. He glared down at her with anger and hate, but was only met with softness and sorrow. She brought him back to the ground and hugged him by the shoulders. The wind became just a bit less violent and Sokka and Toph gazed at them. Katara was crying. The wind died down. The glowing disappeared. Aang left the Avatar state. His expression melted from rage to sadness, but the pain didn't leave him. And he simply stayed there, against Katara, as they wept together.

Chenlian and Guang were also returning to normal. But she was breathing heavily, trembling uncontrolably, her muscles felt like masonry mortar that would turn to cement in a few minutes, but at least the pain was dulling. She touched her cheeks. They were wet with tears. The door opened and a man stepped inside the shop. It was another White Lotus Member. He had the passports for the guests, but there were two men out on the streets looking for them. The old firebender looked through the peephole and the two earthbending bounty hunters from the restaurant. The rough one stopped a passerby, showed him two wanted posters and asked if he had seen these people. Iroh and Zuko looked at each other before worriedly gazing at Chenlian who was still in the young man's arms. She tried to stand up, to assure them she was alright... and failed miserably. She was in no state to fight or run. She should not move at all for the next few hours. It was then the florist had a great idea...

Some time later, the young one who had brought the passports left the shop pulling a small wooden wagon with two very large flower pots on it. After a few seconds, Xin Fu and Master Yu approached the door and the Earth Rumble 6 commentator burst it open causing a flower pot hanging overhead to fall and shatter. He held up the wanted posters to the florist.

"Hey you, where are these men and that girl? I got a tip that they're in your shop."

"As you can see, no one is here but us." The shopkeeper replied calmly.

"We know all about your secret back room." The teacher added and told Xin Fu to kick it down.

"Hey! That room is for flowers only!" But the seller was ignored and the fighter kicked the door, knocking down the whole doorframe and the stone around it. The room was empty, save for a few mats and a Pai Sho lotus tile in the middle. Master Yu picked it up.

"Some unlucky soul has an incomplete Pai Sho set." He noted. Xin Fu growled angrily and knocked the tile out of his ally's hand. They were going back to finding the Beifong's girl.

The young flower shop man with the cart was pulling the two large pots over dunes just outside the village. Zuko and Iroh lifted the plants and poked their heads out to take a brief look around before sinking back into their hiding spots. Reassured, the prince reported his attention back to the girl curled against his chest, her eyes closed. He embraced her tightly, protectively, reassuringly. She still looked so weak.

* * *

**Author's note: I decided to divide the Crossroads of Destiny into 2 chapters. So since I've gone quite ahead, I'm updating a chapter. I thank all those who favorited this story and/or subscribed to it... and Powerpuff who reviewed as usual :) If possible, I like hearing what people felt when reading particular parts. On another note, my poll about which story you're looking forward to the most is still ongoing. Gundam Seed is leading with 6, then Yu Yu Hakusho with 4, and Avatar dead last with 2 XD. **


	36. The Crossing

**Fight 36: The crossing**

Early dawn, Appa arrived at the place where the spire of the Library had once stood and landed in the crater. He started pawing at the sand before collapsing onto his belly and bellowing in despair. After resting, the shackled bison flew above the desert. Hungry, he spotted a large egg lying on the sand. He landed next to it but as he was about to lap it up, a lizard snatched it and fled into the rocks with the egg held high. The big one noticed a Jackelope standing next to a small cactus in the distance and swooped over, frightening off the small creature. He bit off the entire cactus and spat it out, roaring in pain because of the stabbing thorns and wagging his hurt tongue. After more flying, he arrived at the large stone mesa and descended into one of the many openings in the gigantic mud hive built on top. A moment later he rocketed back out, hotly pursued by an angry swarm of buzzard-wasps. Wheeling about in the air, he sent them crashing down with a great gust by a sweep of his tail. The defeated buzzard-wasps slowly turned back. Gasping and panting, Appa landed dripping in sticky gold substance he hungrily lapped from his fur.

A peaceful sunny afternoon in a box canyon... A waterfall was cascading into a deep pool... Sokka was sitting on a rock studying a scroll while Momo observed from his shoulder. Toph was splashing her feet from the pool's edge. Aang, who was swimming on his back, encased his body in a block of ice and floated along peacefully. Katara was standing as the highest point of the canyon and preparing to dive. She screamed "Waterbending bomb!" and jumped. She curled up in a cannonball and her fall into the pool sent up a massive column of water that washed Aang ashore, shattering his ice block, and drenching everyone. The two other benders laughed with delight. Only her brother complained... as usual...

"Sure, 5000 year old maps from the spirit library, just splash some water on 'em." He held out the dripping map. She apologized as she came out of the basin and wrung the water out of her hair. Then she bended the water out of the map. Everyone gathered around him when he spread the map out on the ground. He had figured out the route they should take. They had just got out of the desert and they needed to go to Ba Sing Se, which was on the other side of that inner sea, and the only passage connecting the South to the North was this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass. Toph doubted it was the best way. She didn't like the name of that pass. "It's the only way, I mean I's not like we have Appa to fly us there." He bluntly shot back. His sister scolded him in a hushed voice. Couldn't he at least try to be sensitive? They glanced up at Aang who calmly reassured them. He was ok now. He knew he was upset about losing Appa before, but now he just wanted to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se, and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse. Katara looked surprised and awkwardly said she was glad he was doing better. Sokka rolled the map. "Then to Ba Sing Se we go, no more distractions." But just as the words left his lips, a trio of Earth kingdom civilians appeared.

"Hello there fellow refugees!" The man, Tahn, greeted them cheerfully. He looked in mid to late twenties and was accompanied by a teen-aged girl and a young woman in the latest stage of her pregnancy. Sokka's expression turned to discontent at the new distraction. The group started a conversation. The three were also heading to Ba Sing Se... and trying to get there before the man's wife, Ying, had her baby (he rubbed her large belly).

"Great, we can travel through the Serpent's Pass together!" Katara exclaimed. The three travelers recoiled in horror.

"The Serpent's Pass ?! Only the truly desperate take that deadly route." Ying told them feafully.

"Deadly route..." Toph hit Sokka's arm painfully. "Great pick, Sokka." She praised him sarcastically.

"Well, we are desperate." The Warrior justified himself. Tahn offered them to come with them to Full Moon Bay where ferries took refugees across the lake. It was the fastest way to Ba Sing Se. His wife agreed. It was hidden so the Fire Nation couldn't find it.

"Hmmm, peaceful ferry ride... or deadly pass?" Katara wondered ironically.

One of the two earth nation guards lowered a wall section behind them, revealing a hidden tunnel. After a good travel, the Avatar's group had arrived at this gloomy cavernous inlet, Full Moon Ferry Landing, where three large wooden ships were anchored past a fortified wall. Behind the harbor wall hundreds of people had gathered on a stone landing. Aang and his friends and new companions emerged from the tunnel. Katara couldn't believe how many people's lives had been uprooted by the Fire Nation.

"We're all looking for a better life... safe, behind the walls of Ba Sing Se." Tahn said.

The middle ship departed. Iroh was standing on its deck and looking out at the water.

"Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace..." He began solemnly. "...as a tourist! " He turned to the teens and grinned ear to ear as he put on a straw hat adorned with pink flowers.

"Look around, we're not tourists, we're refugees." His nephew reminded him grimly. He took a sip from a wooden bowl and, disgusted, spat it back in the sea. "Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt... I'm tired of living like this." He leant on the rail despondently.

"He just wanted to cheer you up. He must have been tired of that permanent scowl on your face. Easing up once in a while won't kill you." Chenlian half joked with a smile before turning serious again. "Well, I might have seen and been through worse, but it's true that the higher-ups treat the refugees too poorly. I wonder if something can be done about it. Surely, we aren't the only ones feeling like that this." She was sitting on the rail and staring pensively at the people.

"You're right. We all are." A young male voice said. The girl's amber eyes widened in horror as she recognized the owner. She quickly clamped her hands on his mouth and like this kept pushing him away until they were out of earshot.

"What are you doing here, Jet? What do you want with me?" She asked him menacingly. He grasped her wrists and lowered her hands so he could talk.

"It's good to see you too, Chenlian." He replied sarcastically. "We're going to Ba Sing Se to start anew, so don't worry, you might find it hard to believe me but I don't intend to hurt you or your friends. Also... I'm sorry about back then... I wanted to tell you that." He sounded really contrite and sincere.

"That's indeed rather hard to believe, especially given how we parted ways. People might change but it takes a long time, and with your hatred and resentment being so deep... I'm much more enclined to believe that you're waiting for your chance." The girl eyed him suspiciously.

"Then I'll show that it isn't the case. But although your mistrust was within expectations, I didn't think you'd be this hostile... is it because of that guy? Who is he? And what about the Avatar and Katara?"

"I haven't betrayed them if that's what you're implying. They found an earthbending teacher. I'll fly back to them if they need me, and when it'll be time for Aang to learn firebending. It's just that right now, there's someone who needs me more..." Chenlian gazed at Zuko so softly, tenderly, wistfully that Jet instantly guessed her feelings... and was rather conflicted about it. "Also call me Meiling from now on. He knows my real name but since I started travelling with them and we're both on the run from the Fire Nation, I took another name for the sake of practicality. We just want to stay low, so don't do anything that would disturb our peace once we're in Ba Sing Se, and don't concern yourself with us either, or you'll pay for it. Don't forget to tell that to Longshot and Smellerbee." She warned him.

"Does that mean you're accepting me for now?"

"You'd still stay even if I tried to chase you away, right?"

"Yeah." Jet affirmed strongly.

"See? Then do what you will. And you're right. I reserve my judgement. I don't believe. But I will see for myself. Until I take a decision, consider your matter in abeyance. Besides, you seem intent on doing something about the refugees' current predicament, that's why you called out to us despite the mistrust you expected me to have, right? I can at least listen to you." The young woman smirked. With better food, Zuko should also be in better mood. The two returned to the others. Jet introduced himself and his two freedom fighters to 'Mushi' and 'Lee' who curtly greeted them... Lee who had not exactly appreciated his girlfriend's closeness to that guy... Jet had heard that the captain was eating like a king, while them refugees had to feed off his scraps. Didn't seem fair, did it? Iroh asked what sort of king the captain was eating like .

"The fat, happy kind." The leader of the freedom fighters replied, causing Iroh's mouth to water. "You want to help us _liberate_ some food ?" He offered. Zuko stared down into at the disgusting food in his bowl, then at Chenlian. He thought for a moment before hurling the bowl far out in the lake.

"I'm in." He said. Now that it was decided, Meiling wanted to go over the details while waiting for the night. After all, she couldn't think the captain would just listen and say 'yes' if they complained, and it would be bad to make him keep an eye on them. "No, you are not going, you'll be waiting here." Lee told his lover who snapped back at him. Why should she have to wait? Jet agreed with her and put his hands on her shoulders. He could vouch for her abilities. Zuko glared at him, grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her away and towards his uncle. "Because it'd be bad if what happened at that flower shop were to happen here again at the wrong moment." He looked straight at her.

"It's not like it happens so often, and there are always symptoms-like things so if I feel it, I'll have the time to get away. I'm not that weak! I know my body better than anyone. I'm coming." Chenlian argued but Zuko wouldn't hear any of it. When he'd recall just how weak she had actually been, he truly felt that he had to protect her and take care of her. He wanted her to rest as much as possible, live without stress, and eat well. He wanted her to be healthy, live a good life, and smile, and be happy. He wanted to provide for her and be the one to make her happy. But he voiced none of that. And Chenlian, despite having an inkling, was put off by his way of phrasing things, and instead of appreciating his concern for her, was aggravated by his overprotectiveness. She was not a weak little girl who had to be coddled! She knew how to take care of herself and didn't need anyone to tell her what she could or could not do! And she was going whether he wanted her to or not, if that was what it took for him to understand that she was fine.

At the Ferry Landing, a cruel-looking woman stood at a podium, stamping papers. She angrily told off the familiar cabbage merchant who looked up at her in desperate denial. No vegetables on the ferry! One cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se! She called the security and he screamed in horror as a platypus-bear, dressed in a uniform, destroyed his precious vegetables and cart. The poor man fell to his knees, paralyzed in despair. Two guards picked him up by the arms and carried him away. Next, Aang requested tickets but no one told them they needed passports. Sokka tried to use his friend's Avatar title but the bureaucrat replied she saw fifty Avatars a day, and by the way, his was not a very impressive costume. She pointed over at a motley group of boys in avatar costumes lounging together. Besides, no animals allowed. Again she threatened to call security . Momo cowered on his shoulder. But the child backed down. No need to call the security. Toph was next to try. She showed a document bearing her family emblem and requested four tickets. The woman was awed.

"Oh! The Golden Seal of the Flying Boar! It is my pleasure to help anyone of the Bei Fong family." She bowed with a flourish.

"It is your pleasure. As you can see I am blind, and these three imbeciles are my valets." The little girl said arrogantly as she gestured back to the others who were grinning foolishly in a group hug.

"But the animal..." The crone hesitated.

"...Is my Seeing-Eye Lemur." The earthbender replied. Momo hopped onto her shoulder.

"Well, normally it's only 1 ticket per passport, but... this document is so official, I guess it's worth 4 tickets." She rapidly stamped four papers. Toph thanked her, took the papers and walked off.

"Alright, we scammed that lady good!" Sokka cheered, closing the line. But suddenly he was grabbed from behind and spun around by an attractive young woman in Earth kingdom uniform who held out her hand and firmly asked him to show her their tickets and passports. "Is there a problem ?" The boy inquired, intimidated.

"Yeah, I've got a problem with you." She menacingly poked a finger at his chest. "I've seen your type before, probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious, and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar."

"Do I know you ?" Sokka questioned, narrowing his blue eyes.

"You mean you don't remember ? She grabbed his collar and yanked him close. "Maybe you remember this." The girl placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Suki!" The warrior of the Water Tribe exclaimed elatedly. They hug. Suki was just as delighted to see him. She took them to covered watch tower on the harbor wall overlooking both sides so they could enjoy their reunion more privately. Katara noted she looked so different without the makeup... and the new outfit.

"That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them. And look at you sleeveless guy. Been working out ?" The young female guard looked at Sokka approvingly.

"I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then, nothing major." He stretched and flexed casually before patting his bicep. Aang asked about the other Kyoshi warriors. They were all around. After the guys had left the island, they had wanted to find a way to help people, ended up escorting some refugees, and they had been here ever since. Momo jumped up next to her. She greeted and petted him. Then she was curious to know why they were getting tickets for the ferry since it would be easier to just fly across on Appa. Everyone else suddenly looked down. The waterbender explained that Appa had gone missing, and they were hoping to find him in Ba Sing Se (she looked over at Aang, who looked away). Suki was sorry to hear that and concernedly asked Aang if he was okay.

"I'm doing fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me!" He snapped, annoyed. Suddenly, Ying, Tahn, and the other girl called them and begged the Avatar for help. Someone had stolen all of their belongings. Their passports, tickets... Everything was gone! Ying started crying and her husband comforted her. Aang went to talk to the lady for them. She scowled and stamped his arrow in response. No passports, no tickets! He kept pleading. She was pregnant, and all of their stuff was stolen! She had to make an exception!

"No exceptions! If I just gave away tickets willy nilly to anyone, there would be no more order, and you know what that means. No more civilization!" The bureaucrat shouted implacably. She also refused that they gave those people their tickets. Nothing could be done. That woman wouldn't budge. He reassured the couple and their companion though. He was going to lead them through the serpents pass. They'd get to the city safely.

Aang guided his friends and Tahn's family through the refugee camp.

"I can't believe we gave up our tickets, and now we're going through the Serpent's Pass." Sokka grumbled. His feelings were understandable. First, he had decided they'd go through that pass, then they'd got that nice ferry ride thanks to that family, and now they had to go to that dangerous pass, his original idea, because of that family. But still...

"I can't believe you're still complaining about it." Toph remarked his pettiness.

"I'm coming too!" Suki rushed to them, clad in her Kyoshi warrior garb and makeup. Sokka cautioned her. Was it really a good idea? "I thought you'd want me to come ." She replied, surprised.

"I do, it's just..."

"Just what?" The young woman was growing impatient.

"Nothing. I'm glad you're coming." He smiled and silenced his feelings. His first love walked past him angrily. He hung his head and followed.

They arrived at the Serpent's Pass, a narrow sliver of peaks rising jaggedly out of the water and extending out across the great lake. Sokka had believed it would be windier, like a serpent. It had probably been misnamed. Ying looked at the writing on the large wooden gatepost. It was awful. Katara read it outloud for Toph. It said "abandon hope".

"How could we abandon hope? It's all we have." The pregnant woman moaned as she buried her weeping face in husband's chest.

"I don't know. The monks used to say that hope is just a distraction. So maybe we do need to abandon it." The Avatar pointed out, his tone even. Katara couldn't believe her ears. What was he talking about?! "Hope isn't going to get us into Ba Sing Se, and it's not gonna find Appa. We need to focus on what we're doing right now, and that's getting across this pass." Aang passed through the gate.

"Ok, if you say so." She somberly and reluctantly agreed. And everyone followed.

As the group walked single-file along a perilously narrow path high along the cliff face, Suki explained that the Fire Nation controled the western lake. Rumor had it they were working on something big on the other side, and they didn't want anyone to find out what it was. And indeed, a Fire nation battleship was cruising off in the distance. Everyone glanced at it nervously. Suddenly the path gave way under Tahn, who was caught by a quick earthbending move from Toph. Her rock protrusion flipped him back to the path and into his family's arms. He reassured them. He was okay. However, the rocks falling into the lake alerted the ship of their presence and it shot a boulder on fire towards them from its deck catapult. Everyone started to run... except Aang who leapt and launched off of the cliff face, toward the fiery projectile. He batted it back with an arch of air into the warship's smokestacks. The vessel caught fire but the soldiers could still launch another another attack from its second catapult. This one crashed into the cliff side above, and Sokka shoved Suki forward as rocks tumbled down toward them. Toph bended out an awning of stone to divert the rocks away from her friend. Safe, Sokka ignored his savior and rushed to Suki.

"Suki, are you ok ? You have to be more careful! C'mon!" He grabbed her hand, helped her up and led her away.

"Thanks for saving my life Toph. Hey no problem Sokka." The earthbender muttered the exchange that should have taken place. She ran after the others, Aang flying hot behind her.

The sun was setting. Everyone had set camp for the night. A fire was burning in their midst. Tahn was massaging his wife's feet as she lay propped up. The Kyoshi warrior was spreading out her bedroll a bit further away when Sokka came and took it and told her not to sleep there; this ledge could give way at any moment. She tried to tell him she was fine and to stop worrying, but he was only half listening. He put her bedroll near his.

"You're right, you're right. You're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself...Wait!" He abruptly leaped between her and the bedding. "Oh, never mind. I thought I saw a spider, but you're fine." He patted her shoulder reassuringly. His overprotectiveness only served to annoy her though.

A guard passed by with a lantern on the upper deck of the ferry cruising beneath the moonlit sky. As he did, Zuko stealthily led Chenlian, Jet and Smellerbee upstairs and around a corner. They paused to look through the kitchen window then slipped around the back. Jet forced the lock while Smellerbee kept watch. Chenlian and the two guys burst into the kitchen. Jet swept several hanging bird carcasses into a sack. The prince used his swords to nimbly stack eight bowls of food together, securing the stack with a ribbon. And Chenlian cut the strings from which the fruits were hanging and caught them in a bag too. They shouldered their sacks and turned to the doorway just as Smellerbee warned them that the guards were coming. The four of them rushed to the balcony edge while below Longshot fired a line-strung arrow into the railing. The bundles slid down the line, followed by the chivalrous thieves. The arrow was pulled free just as another lantern-bearing soldier walked past. Two levels below, the youths furtively returned.

Aang was standing on an outcropping, staring out across the lake. Katara walked up to him. It was ok to miss Appa. But what was going on with him? In the desert, all he cared about was finding Appa, and now it was like he didn't care about him at all. Back then,  
he had been so angry about losing Appa that he had been unable control himself. He hated feeling like that. The girl argued that now he wasn't letting himself feel anything. She knew sometimes it hurt more to hope, and it hurt more to care. But she wanted him to promise her that he wouldn't stop caring. She offered him a comforting hug that he needed but he turned her down with a polite bow. He thanked her for her concern and walked away. Katara watched him leave with a worried look.

Sokka was sitting on a rock beneath a stone arch, staring up at the moon. He was joined by Suki. She commented it was a beautiful moon and he agreed. It really was. She sat next to him. She understood he was just trying to help, but she could take care of herself. He knew that already but then why was he acting so over protective ?

"It's so hard to lose someone you care about." He answered, looking away. "Something happened at the North Pole, and I couldn't protect someone. I don't want anything like that to ever happen again."

"I lost someone I cared about. He didn't die, he just went away. I only had a few days to get to know him, but he was smart, and brave, and funny." The girl mentioned. At this, Sokka became quite worried (and jealous).

"Who is this guy ? Is he taller than me ?" He interrogated her and indignantly rose to his feet. She coyly replied he was about his height. "Is he better looking?"

"It is you stupid!" Suki stood up too, her fists on her hips.

"Oh..." He gazed at her wistfully. The woman leant in. Watched by the moon, they drew closer for a kiss, but right before their lips met, Sokka looked away with a pained expression. "I can't."

"I'm... sorry." She apologized.

"No, you shouldn't be." He turned away and left her. It was his fault, because he still hadn't gotten over his feelings for Yue.

At sunset Appa took off again and after hours reached greener, less desolate lands. Exhausted and bedraggled, he entered the large domed barn of a farm, where he lapped some water, devoured a pile of hay, then flopped down and immediately lapsed into a deep sleep. The bison dreamed about his meeting with Aang at the Eastern Air Temple. A bison mother and four offsprings landed on a platform. An old female Air Nomad was holding a large bowl of apples and telling a group of small boys - including Aang - to choose well as a sky bison was a companion for life. Little Aang approached approached little Appa and offered him an apple, which the calf sniffed before opening his mouth and letting Aang toss it in. The child spread his arms affectionately over the calf's head, who responded by knocking him to the ground and licking his face. Aang laughed guessed this meant they would always be together. Appa didn't know that at their night camp on the Serpent's Pass, Aang was having the exact same dream. But then, the buffalo was roused by a human cry of terror. The farmer mistook him for some kind of monster and waved a pitchfork in his face. The ruminant rose angrily to his feet, his manacles rattling, and growled a warning to the farmer whose wife came to the barn entrance, carrying a bright torch. Seeing the blazing torch, Appa reared in panic and the couple fled, screaming. The bison escaped through the roof of the barn and flew away.

On the main deck, while Jet finished passing out food to the thankful passengers, Iroh tried to strike a conversation with the other freedom fighters. He noted that 'Smellerbee' was an unusual name for a young man, angering his interlocutor who shot back that she was actually a girl. She glared at him and walked off. He called after her saying it was a beautiful name for a lovely girl, in an attempt to correct his mistake and smooth her temper. Zuko looked surprised. Chenlian sighed. Longshot quickly rose and followed her.

"Well, if it bothered her so much to be mistaken for a boy she could always opt for a more feminine appearance and behavior. But if she's comfortable the way she is, I don't really see a reason for her to change." The mahogany-haired girl wondered. The same way, her body of many scars could be considered unbecoming and repulsive, especially for a young lady of the nobility who should have perfectly smooth and flawless skin. She could have treated them or covered them with makeup, make them less conspicuous... But Chenlian was actually proud of it. That hardened body was the result of her past, and the proof she had one, it was proof of her strength and resolve. She was more than a shallow girl who just cared about appearances, guys, or others' consideration. And without a doubt, that girl was the same... Longshot caught Smellerbee with a hand on her shoulder and stepped in front of her, giving her a hard look.

"I know. You're right." The female freedom fighter apologized, contrite. "As long as I'm confident with who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think. Thanks Longshot." Those two were so close friends that she could know what he was thinking just from observing his expressions and body language. And she had also had an inkling about that herself. He nodded a stern approval. The three firebenders were joined by Jet, who sat down with them.

"From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall." Jet told them eagerly.

"It is a magnificent sight." 'Mushi' approved.

"So you've been there before ?"

"Once, when I was a different man." The elder looked away with regret.

"I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of." Jet glanced at Chenlian. "That's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se, for a new beginning. A second chance."

"That's very noble of you. I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances." Iroh shared a meaningful look with Zuko, while the leader of the Freedom Fighters studied them both. A small smile curved the girl's lips as she gazed at her boyfriend but then her face grew hard again.

"Oh, so you've finally become aware that lying, manipulating, deceiving, and sacrificing innocent people are not things a good leader, no, a good person who thinks himself better than others and intends to judge others, should do?" Meiling remarked with a cynical smile. The young man ignored her vitriolic tone and phrasing.

"To think that made you angrier than the fact that I was horrible to you and tried to kill you. You're really a good person." Jet remarked in self-derision.

"Now that you mention it, that thing happened. Well, I'm too used to resentment, hostility and murder attempts to get upset or trouble myself with it now. One more or one less won't make a difference. And I've become friends with people who distrusted me, hurt me and tried to kill me too."

"But Che-...Meiling, it was you who told me about second chances." Jet corrected himself when she glared so fiercely at him. "It was you who said that it was never too late to correct mistakes, that you still wanted to believe in me, that I could change, even after all those things happened. I've come because I believed in you, in your words, because you're that kind of person." He looked straight at the girl who kept quiet and stared back at him with her unwavering, straightforward amber eyes, as if studying him. Zuko glanced from one to the other. He didn't like that.

As a man who was lost, who searched for himself, and who was beginning to change, he could understand that guy's feelings, as well as the need to have Chenlian at their side. Because she was so strong and self-assured, because she was capable of showing such care that she'd persevere and stay by you even when things came to worst, even when you hurt her, because she had such a clear vision of the future and what must be done and didn't deviate from her path... she was like a guidepost, a support, the unbreakable thread to take you out of the labyrinth. That was why notably people in difficulty and difficult people tended to be drawn to her. And since she was kind, she'd try to help everyone. And that was also why Zuko felt easily threatened and jealous. He didn't want anyone stealing her away from him. He wanted to monopolize her. But why, for some reason, was he imagining himself so well in that man's place, apologizing, begging her to believe him and forgive him? Even though he had done nothing wrong... And he disliked that feeling and was even more confused. The exiled prince of the Fire Nation grabbed his girlfriend's hand and drew her to him. Chenlian quizically looked at him. Jet smiled good-heartedly at this show of possessiveness.

The groups separated for the rest of the night. Everyone went to sleep. Iroh roused some time before dawn and approached the rail. Stroking his beard, he looked down pensively. Appa flew over the Serpant's pass, and a boat a little later. The retired general of the Fire Nation lifted his head and gasped when he saw the Avatar's sky bison passing over their ship and heard its low rumble. Zuko woke up, raised himself slightly and asked what he was looking at. Was there something out there? He and Chenlian were cuddled up under the blanket. The girl had woken up too and wanted to know if they had heard something, like a rumble. The old man looked fearful and panicky at first but recovered and said it was nothing. They listened to his advice and went back to sleep. Iroh sighed, relieved. Now was not the time to mention the Avatar and have him separate these two again.

Aang led his party down a steep slope. The group stopped as the path disappeared into the lake to reemerge several hundred yards away. The child sighed. Everyone stood there, stunned, until Katara walked forward resolutely and ordered them in a single file. They obeyed. Bending aside the water in her path, Katara descended below the water level, lifting up walls of water to either side. As everyone fell in behind her, a capsule of air formed around them.

"Aang, I need help." She said. Smiling, he handed staff to Toph and closed the capsule of air. The family stared, amazed, as they moved along the bottom of the lake. Momo, perched on Toph's shoulder, noticed a school of fish passing by, and plunged through the water-wall after them. Suddenly, a massive black form passed near the lemur, frightening him. He leapt back to Toph to cower dripping wet on her shoulder. The titanic bulk of the creature passed over the bubble, only seen dimly from within. The danger it represented however was keenly felt. "What is that thing?" The waterbender questioned. Tahn and his family huddled in fear. Something huge crashed through the walls of the bubble, breaking Katara's concentration and threatening to drown them all. Reacting quickly, Toph bended up a column of rock that rushed everyone to the surface. She gave the glider back to Aang just as the others noticed a long spiny dorsal fin circling their sanctuary in the middle of the submerged path. The seahorse-like whiskered head of gigantic jade sea serpent broke the surface in an explosion of water. Its long tongue lashed like a whip from its maw. The monster roared menacingly.

"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass." Sokka brilliantly deduced as he pointed at it and another blood-curdling shriek left the creature's toothy jaws. "Suki, you know about giant sea monsters. Make it go away!" He instructed... before putting his hands up in defense and smiling sheepishly when she angrily retorted that just because she lived near the Unagi didn't mean she was an expert. So he switched plan. "Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you." He beseechingly held up Momo. His sister yelled his name, outraged that he had dared offer a member of their 'family' up as a sacrifice. The Serpent lunged toward them, but Aang forced it back with an arch of wind.

"I'll distract him. Katara, get everyone across." The Avatar opened his glider and swooped off as the monster went after him. Katara froze a path of ice across the lake surface, connecting it to the far shore. Urging the others past her, she watched Aang elude the creature in the distance. She created a board of ice and surfed to Aang's aid. The waterbender froze a small part of the Serpant's midsection, hampering its movements. But it twisted, broke free, and turned back to chase Katara the opposite direction. Sokka, who was closing the line, noticed that Toph was still stranded on the rock pillar. He called out to her. It was just ice! She wanted to stay on her little island where she could see when a huge coil of the Sea Serpent crashed down behind her, startling her sending her out onto the ice. She began inching sideways along the path. Sokka shouted encouragements at her. However, when she was about midway, the creature's tail crashed through the bridge, shattering its entire  
length and sending Toph plunging into the lake.

"Help! I can't swim!" She screamed and thrashed helplessly.

"I'm coming Toph!" Sokka yelled. But as he struggled to remove a boot, Suki dived and swam furiously and rescued Toph just as she was slipping beneath the waves. They gasped for breath.

"Oh Sokka, you saved me." The blind child said dramatically as she planted a big kiss on her savior's cheek.

"Actually, it's me." The Kyoshi warrior pointed out.

"Oh... well... heheh..." She grinned, very embarrassed, before going limp. "You can go ahead and let me drown now." And while she was taken back to the shore, Aang and Katara had started circling the Serpent at great speed, stirring up a whirlpool that it couldn't resist. The spinning monster's neck cracked like a whip against the cliff-side, and it sank back into the lake. Walking up a slope, the others cheered as Aang flew by with Katara.

The walk continued, and finally, the weary travelers arrived on the other side. Then Sokka cheered and pointed excitedly. They could see the wall in the distance, filling the horizon. Now it was nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se... but again, just as the words left his lips, ying gasped and doubled over, clutching her belly. The baby was coming! Her family eased her to the ground, her back against the cliff, and the boy started panicking.

"What! Now?! Can't you hold it in or something ?!" He screamed. His little sis told him to calm down. She had helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home. "This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a real... human... thing!" He completely freaked out.

"It's called a baby, and I helped to deliver plenty of those too." Katara stared at him blankly, looking slightly annoyed by his antics. "Aang, get some rags. Sokka, water. Toph, I need you to make an earth tent. A big one." She directed everyone. They all obeyed. "Suki, come with me." They both entered the tent.

The ferry was sailing through the early morning mist. Zuko was standing at the prow looking toward the nearing shoreline.

"So you know the truth about Chenlian, huh?" Jet questioned as he walked up to him from behind. Zuko glanced warily at the man standing next to him.

"Yeah."

"You must really be something... since you still decided to date her, and you managed to make her fall for you even though she's such a tough nut to crack. You should take good care of her. She's been through much."

"I know."

"You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were." Jet said, once more causing Zuko to eye him suspiciously. "You're an outcast, like me, and like her. And us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will."

"I've realized lately, that being on your own isn't always the best path. And the one who made me realize this is Chenlian who had been an outcast and suffered all alone for so long."

"Jet, Lee! Time to get ready. What were you talking about?" Chenlian called them as she approached. The two turned to look at her and stayed silent. She slightly tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, wondering what was up with them. Then Zuko walked to her, grabbed her face and suddenly kissed her. She froze in surprise. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her to him. His love was so ardent that she couldn't help but respond even though her mind told her this wasn't the time or place. Then he drew back. She looked down, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. And his right arm still tightly secured around her waist, they returned to Iroh. As they walked, Zuko glanced back at Jet. Wasn't this something that could be called a 'preemptive strike'?

In the dark interior of the stone tent, Tahn and the girl were each holding one of Ying's hands. The woman was laboring heavily, gasping for breath and sweating profusely. Katara was seated between her blanket-covered legs, her back to the entrance.

"You're doing great Ying." She encouraged her. "Sokka! Where's that water ?" She shouted angrily. "Get ready to push." She said. Her brother entered the tent. "One, two, three... PUSH!" The bender ordered. Ying cried out in effort and Sokka, watching over his sibling's back, fainted.

Time later, Momo was perched overhead on a tree branch, while Aang, Toph and Sokka were waiting outside the tent entrance. Aang was huddled despondently to one side, Toph was leaning on the other side of the entrance and Sokka was sitting next to her, mopping his face with a cloth. Then a baby was heard crying. It was a girl! Toph asked Sokka if he wanted to see the baby or if he was going to faint like an old lady again . He replied he was good this time and the two went inside. Moments later Katara appeared at the entrance and told Aang he had to come see this. The monk stood up and morosely followed her inside. But then his eyes fell on the sleeping newborn Ying was cradling. The mother and her child were surrounded by everyone. Toph commented the baby sounded healthy. Katara was awed by her beauty... Unlike her brother who stared dubiously, finding the 'human thing' so... 'squishy looking'. The Avatar's expression melted into a bittersweet smile. Tahn was kneeling next to his wife. Both were serenely watching their sleeping daughter. The husband wondered what they should name her. Ying turned to him.

"I want our daughter's name to be unique. I want it to mean something." She looked down at her with eyes full of love. And Aang's eyes overflowed with tears of emotion. He wiped them off and approached.

"I've been going through a really hard time lately. But you've made me... hopeful again." He told them softly.

"I know what I want to name our baby now. Hope." Ying declared.

"That's a perfect name. Hope." Her husband agreed. Aang gazed at Katara's back.

The teens decided to let the family rest and stepped outside. The airbender took the water tribe girl away from the others.

"I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings. Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminded me of how I feel about Appa... and how I feel about you." He mused before smiling at her. Touched, Katara wiped a tear from her eye and they embraced affectionately. The others walked up to them and they disengaged. Toph returned the staff to Aang. "I promise I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this."

"See ya in the big city." Sokka placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Say hi to that big fuzzball for me." Toph slugged Aang's arm, making him wince and rub it painfully.

"You'll find him Aang." The waterbender gently comforted him. The monk thanked her and took off along with Momo, heading to Ba Sing Se. The four waved at them in farewell.

After that, everyone prepared for the last leg of the trip. Sokka was kneeling over his pack when Suki walked up to him, saying it had been really great to see him again.

"Whoa, hold on. Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye ?" He stood up. She had come along because she wanted to make sure he got through the Serpent's Pass safely. But now she needed to get back to the other Kyoshi warriors. "So you came along to protect me ." The young man realized, stunned.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about last night." Suki bashfully apologized. She looked down. "We were talking, and saying things..." She blushed. "I just got carried away and before I knew it I..." But Sokka surprised her with a tender kiss and drew back.

"You talk too much." He gazed into her eyes. They kissed again, passionately this time as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Appa descended towards forested bluffs, and crashed groggily near a tree-capped mine entrance. He nibbled some grass, before a loud squealing echoing from the mine entrance roused him. He turned just as a large, enraged porcupine-boar charged out of the mine, crashing into him and sending them both tumbling down the hillside. They skidded to a halt below. A number of large quills were already sticking out from Appa's side. The beasts circled one another. Suddenly the porcupine-boar charged his opponent's flank, plowing the bison into a tree that snapped in two. Seizing the tree in his mouth, the buffalo tossed it at the boar driving him backwards into a line of trees. Squealing in rage, the porcupine leaped over the tree and charged again. Rearing, Appa caught the boar, smashed him down and hurled him deep into the forest. The old animal finally fled into the night. Panting heavily from exertion, Appa plucked one of the quills from his hide with his teeth, the ground trembling from his roar of agony. He half flew half stumbled up the hill to the mine entrance, and collapsed inside, utterly spent.

Aang and Momo flew over the barren wasteland to the outer wall. They soared up the vertical face of the wall and through low clouds. They landed on the summit and serenely looked out over the wall towards the city. But then the boy gasped in shock and dismay when he turned to the other side. A giant, monolithic drilling machine with the symbol of the Fire Nation was approaching the base of the wall. It was flanked by two formations of tanks that appeared like ants compared to that machine.

"Sorry Momo, Appa's gonna have to wait." The airbender looked sadly at the lemur perched on his shoulder.

* * *

**Author's note: Next chapter, we'll enter Ba Sing Se! 8 chapters left until the end of the second season! First, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to those who favorited this story and subscribed to it. Then about the poll on my profile page, Gundam Seed is far ahead with 10 votes, then second is Yu Yu Hakusho with 5 votes and Avatar still last with only 4 votes. **


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